M is for Maggie
by MistroStrings
Summary: "Tell me Maggie, why is a Raven like a writing desk?" The Hatter asked quizically. Maggie smirked, already knowing an answer. "Because Poe wrote on both." Mad HatterxOC
1. Yellow

**Hey everyone! Mistrostrings here… after a long time! So, I posted a poll like a year ago and this story won to be written next. I wonder if anyone who voted on the poll will actually read this, but none the less I hope you like it.**

**:] Also- it's set in the same time period as Tim Burton's "Alice". So, late 1800s, early 1900s. Ya know. Da whole shee-bang.**

**Please rate, favorite, comment, star, praise, worship, whatever!**

**~mistrostrings**

**~.~.~.~**

I like to paint.

Blue. Green. Purple. Sometimes yellow.

No wait, can I take that senitment back? I hate yellow. It isn't because I am unhappy, but just because the color looks unfitting with blue, green and purple.

Don't disagree with me, you barbarian. It absolutely does.

I know what I'm talking about.

At any rate, I should probably tell you who I am. Not that it matters. If it should matter, most wouldn't bother to care. Nonetheless, I'll tell you because you've been reading this far and you're obviously interested... and now I'm just rambling; I do apologize, you must forgive me.

My name is Maggie. It isn't my real name, but it is what I like to be called. Father often says it is immature. Mother says Maggie is a name belonging to a pig. Who's complaining? I like pigs.

Madeline. That's my real name. I guess you're probably thinking; "Oh heavens, why is her nickname Maggie when it should be Maddie?" Well, MADDIE sounds like a pig name. And as much as I like pigs, I don't want a pig name.

Pigs are filthy.

I'm not yet twenty, but I'm not sixteen. You can pretend I'm fourty if you like, but I'm just telling you that I'm not.

A lot of the time I'm not so quick to introduce myself to other people but I can tell that you're different. And yes, reader, I'm talking to you if you're confused now. I'm talking to whoever or _whatever _is reading this because I have a story to tell.

It is extremely interesting.

And sort of silly and unbelievable.

Which is why I decided to tell it. Which is why I assumed you should know more about your story-teller before you read her stories. You don't want to be reading some horror story, now do you? I dislike horror stories. Who would purposely like to be scared? And besides, this is my story so I'm going to tell you exactly how it happened.

A story told by Madeline March.

_Maggie_ March.

~.~.~.~.~

I woke up with an itch running down my legs. Curiously, I cracked open one of my eyes, inspecting the bed I was lying on. A brown, wool blanket covered the top of me. _This isn't mine, _I thought quietly. Raising a brow, I tossed off the blanket and swung my legs onto the wooden floor.

My unpainted and unpolished toenails looked up at me from my small feet. Frowning, I buried them inside my slippers. Toes are disgusting things. Groggily, I managed to stand up and slink my way to the door of that unwelcoming room.

I was staying at my Uncle Theodore's house that summer for one reason.

None.

My father and my Uncle worked together since they were boys, doing something that involved money. I never paid any attentio, but father said that was alright considering I would fail at it anyway. Money is nothing but slips of paper to me. I'd rather make art out of it than lock it behind metal doors.

At any rate, my Uncle was just as unpleasant as my father. They both have long faces and thick black hair-of which I acquired-and eyes that could burn a hole in your forehead if you looked into them long enough. If anyone else had been working with them, it would have been a disaster. But the two were so alike, an exact pair nearly like brotherly twins, that it seemed to work out.

My family lived in the city. I liked it enough, because I liked the sound of noise when I went to sleep. My Uncle lived in a picturesque country-side house; one that I could only ever enjoy if I was alone. If I wanted to sit outside and look at the flowers, no one else could be in sight. They'd be too distracting and my thoughts would become jumbled. Which is why I hated staying at his house. It was big, but it seemed as if people lingered within every room. My Uncle found servants necessary.

As I made my way out of _the_ room, not _my_ room, because it wasn't mine, a maid stopped me short. "Miss March," she said with a bright smile on her face. "Your paintbrushes have been cleaned."

"Thank you," I said softly, nodding my head. "You didn't need to do that." People weren't normally supposed to touch my brushes, but she didn't know so I held back my tongue. Sometimes I snapped when I shouldn't. Mother calls it a 'problem'.

"Wasn't a bother, Miss!" She said, curtseying before she turned the corner.

I stood imagining for a moment someone else's fingers trying to clean the hairs on my brushes; incorrectly twisting them this way and that, running them under too cold or too hot of water… I snapped myself out of my daze. Mother said I over-think things. Another one of my 'problems'.

Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I made my way down the large staircase. My slippered feet hit the tile floor at the bottom, and I spun around easily on it. "Don't fall miss," one of the servants said to me with a polite smile behind his thick mustache.

Laughing, I spun around again. "You ought to try it sometime when no one's looking." And with that, I began to hum a song I didn't know as I made my way to the kitchen. One should never hum songs they know, because then they stick with you for the rest of the day. It's terribly troublesome if you're in a business meeting and can't get one of your old Christmas carols out of your head. Never, ever, hum a song that you already know.

All good things must come to an end, they say, and of course I was stopped at the threshold of the kitchen by six unforgiving eyes staring right at me. "Madeline," my mother said, the sound of my real name wanting to make me vomit. "You are wearing your night gown."

I looked down, my green evening dress loosely hanging off of me. "Yes…" I said slowly. "That would seem correct." I knew she was less than impressed with the fact that I didn't care. And that I was still wearing it.

"Perhaps you should go change, dear." She struggled to find a genuine smile.

"I'm not a deer," I said sticking my chest out a bit more. "I'm a human. And if I could choose to be any animal, it would be a mouse."

My Uncle glared up at me from his coffee cup. "A mouse?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Of course you would want to be a pest." There was a long silence. "The only issue is, Madeline, that you don't need to _wish_ to become that."

Of course, my father said nothing. He also sipped his coffee. My mother hesitantly glanced at my father, hoping he would actually say something. Of course, he didn't. And of course, neither did she. "Well, that's very nice of you, Uncle Theodore. I'm glad you took the time to tell me that I was perfect the way I was." He said things like that to me quite often. It was apparent I wasn't welcome in his home, but I didn't try and become someone I wasn't just to please him.

It hurt. A lot more than I'd like to admit, but… If I suddenly decided to stand up for myself, they would merely laugh.

I may have been a strong girl, but when people laughed...

Quietly, I made my way out of the room and back out to the grand staircase. The servant from earlier gave me a concerned look. "Miss Maggie-"

"I'm fine," I sighed. I kept walking until I couldn't see him anymore. Him and his big mustache. If only my Uncle could grow a mustache like that. Then I might actually respect him. "I'm going back to bed," I mumbled, though he probably couldn't hear me anymore.

~.~.~.~.~

"She's missing something," John said. Carefully, he took the brush from my fingers, dipping it lightly into the red paint. Before he touched my picture, he glanced over at me.

"Yes, go ahead. Don't touch her cheeks; I got them perfect."

There was only one person in the world I trusted. That would be my brother John. I trusted him, because he trusts me. It was as simple as that. No one asked any questions, and no one complained. He was sixteen that summer, and a real brainiac. He found girls as far too dramatic, and he liked to spend his free time polishing his boots. He was very handsome with his dark features and pale skin, exactly like mine, and many girls lined up at our door in hopes of something they would recieve. "They're all imprudent," he once said. "When I meet a girl who studies Shakespeare and can actually spell his name right, then I might actually pay attention to her." Needless to say, the girls in our city town were not highly intelligent. John was far better off without them.

He carefully raised the paint brush to the girl's neck. With a few light strokes, a ribbon was suddenly formed. The magic of paint. "Why would you give her a ribbon?"

"You made her look shy," he frowned with me, taking a step back to look at it. "She was showing too much skin around her face."

I snatched the brush from his hands. "I wasn't trying to make her a nun," I said, jutting out my chin and drawing a few extra threads onto the ribbon. "However, you did make her look a bit more sophisticated. Well job, student."

Mockingly, my brother bowed. "Thank you, teacher. You know I only cherish your opinion."

My hand paused on the painting. Gently, I lifted the brush off of it and set it in the water. I watched the red ooze out from the hairs, mixing in and turning the liquid into a gentle blush. Just like the girl's cheeks. "Why are we here, John?" I mumbled beneath my breath. "I mean, why should we have to sit around all day while our parents do... whatever it is they do?"

"We don't have to sit around," John said with a heavy sigh, tossing himself onto the bed that is _not_ mine. "We could go outside or something." He sat up instantly at the idea, his brown eyes wide. "We could shoot bi-"

"We're not shooting anything!" I shouted, nearly tossing my painting at him. That was the one issue with my brother. He enjoyed a good hunt, where I saw all animals as endearing creatures. "Why are we even in this house? This isn't our home. There's no one we like here. This room smells like wood and soot-"

"We don't like anyone back at in town, either. And wouldn't wood and soot smell similar?"

Warningly, I shot him a look. "Regardless. Let's do something adventurous."

"I can't," he sighed.

"Why not?"

"I just polished my boots."

I glanced down at his abnormally sparkling black boots and grimaced. "It's almost disgusting how well you take care of them. You're worse than a woman with her hair before her coming-out ceremony." Laughing, he grabbed one of my dresses from my closet, pressing it up to his chest and spinning around with it. "Oh yes, darling," I chuckled. "You look absolutely lovely in that dress. Suits your eyes."

"Why don't you wear anything pink? Or yellow?" He said, glancing down at my green dress. "With you, it's always sad colors. You're a pretty girl, Maggie. You look depressed when you wear them and pink would look befitting on you."

I snatched the dress from his hands. "Who says I'm _not_ depressed?"

"I do," he declared. "Because with a brother like me, no girl could ever be that miserable."

Playfully, I nudged his arm. "Don't give yourself so much credit. You've broken plenty of hearts." He stood silent, unable to disagree with that.

I tossed my dress back onto my bed before cracking him a smile. "None of it matters. I'm like a bird, and I'm going to leave this nest and fly around somewhere new for a while. Someone where I can be alone." John gave me a half-smile, obviously intrigued. "I'm going to take a trip."

He gently flicked a piece of my curled, black hair into my face. "Of course you're like a bird. With hair like that, you ought to have been named Raven. And guess what?" He said, suddenly tip-toeing towards me. "If you're a bird, then I'm a snake and I'm-"

Letting out a loud shriek, I rushed from the room. I knew where this was going. We used to play games like this when we were children. He would chase me around until I got tired, tackle me, and declare that I was now his personal slave and had to do whatever he asked. My mother called me a boy and said I should stop playing such stupid games. I ignored her, and I always ran around and screamed until he finally won. Which, he always did.

As I rushed down the stairs, laughing harder than I had in a while, I could hear my brother chasing after me. "Come back, birdie!" He laughed. "I'm going to make you my slave!"

"Never!" I cried, raising a fist in victory. "Today shall be different! Today will be the day that I win, and you, foolish snake, shall work for _me_!" Turning a sharp corner, I found myself facing the front door. Grabbing the rusty knob, I yanked the handle back and rushed out into my Uncle's perfectly green grass. _Where to hide, where to hide? _I thought.

My barefoot feet took my spinning around the side of the house to the large backyard. The yard was huge with a fountain, tables and trees. Hedges lined the side so we couldn't see the neighbors, though I knew a young girl often went there. Her hair was long and gold, and she liked to wear blue. I never spoke to her, but if she liked blue and wasn't wearing yellow, I assumed we would get along.

The woods were the only thing I could think of that might throw my brother off. "Oh, birdie?" I could hear him call from the front yard. "Where are you hiding?" Without a second thought, I pulled up the hem of my dress and headed towards the trees.

The grass softened under my running feet. The dark clouds above me covered my body in shadows. Something was going to be different about that day. I was going to win.

I was going to find...

the perfect hiding spot.


	2. Tea Leaves

**Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, guys. I hope the wait wasn't too long; I'll be quicker next time, haha. If you guys like the story, please keep reading and review! Thanks so much~ ^^**

**~MistroStrings**

~.~.~.~.~

Woods are strange. There are a lot of odd things in the world, but above all of those: woods are the strangest. Sometimes we believe fairies live in them. Sometimes we think there are mystic clans in them, cursing all of us outsiders. And sometimes we just think they're a bunch of trees lined up close together. I don't really know which is true, and I don't really think about woods all that often. To me, how can a wood be all of those things? It's illogical. And I'm not normally all that logical.

If there was one thing a wood was good for, it was hiding. Also, my brother wouldn't want to damage his precious boots by running through and against the rocks, so he wouldn't dare go near them instantly, which bought me further time.

I could still hear him calling my name as I ran further into my Uncle's backyard. After a moment, I couldn't hear a thing but the sound of my heart beating in my ears. A smile cracked across my face. The sort of smile you get when you know you're up to nothing good.

I _knew_ I was up to nothing good.

Hiking up the hem of my dress, I felt my light feet take me past the thickest trees lining the entrance. I couldn't hear my brother anymore. Which was clearly a good sign, or so I thought. The crunchy leaves and pebbles beneath my shoes could still be felt against my bare skin. It didn't mind it strangely, the little drops of pain only made the situation more exciting.

The forest was still nicely lit as the sun continued to shine through the tree tops. I froze in place, unsure of where to go.

Where else to hide but behind a tree?

But oh, how cliché that would be!

So, I dashed away from that lit up space.

And continued with the heated race.

Laughing to myself for no particular reason, my sweaty palms gripped the bark of a tree. Happily, I spun around it, swinging my body. And again, I repeated it with the next tree in line. Searching around for the perfect hiding spot, I continued to fling myself from trunk to trunk, grinning as the heat of the summer warmed me.

Nothing good ever happened to me unless something bad followed. And on that fateful day, that was indeed exactly what happened. My brother was reaching the edge of the woods and I knew my time was running short. "Maggie?" He shouted threateningly. "Come out, _Madeline_. You can't run away forever. You know I'm never going to give up!"

I bit my bottom lip, taking a cautious step back. My foot crunched on a leaf. I gasped aloud, quickly covering my mouth in hopes that he hadn't heard me. "Was that you?" I heard his boots crunching the dried Earth beneath his feet. Any second and he would find me. "Maggie!" He shouted once again.

My heart was beating louder than my brother's boots. If I didn't find the perfect spot in mere seconds, he would find me and tackle me down. And a dirty dress meant no dinner. My breath was shaking, but I spun around and kept running. My eyes were looking forward, not paying attention to the ground beneath me. The length of my dress kept getting in the way.

I bet you know what's coming.

An unexpected, although not uncommon, branch managed to find my foot. I felt the sudden impact as it hit me by surprise. Screeching out in bewilderment, my body managed to fling itself forward and hit the ground with a thud. I heard my brother call out to me once again, only this time with concern. "Maggie? Maggie was that you?" I couldn't bring myself to answer him. My arm was hurting terribly, and I closed my eyes tightly to try and make the pain go away. "Maggie!" He shouted, his voice almost growing softer. I continued to hear him scream my name, but soon it disappeared all together. There was only silence.

Something was pushing my hair back. A light breeze brushed past my eyes, sending my hair around my face in a frame. My eyes were still tightly shut, but my arm had suddenly stopped hurting. Slowly, I cracked them open to take a better look at my wound.

My arm was entirely fine. It was everything else around me that was not. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing managed to come out. I found myself falling, tumbling down a tunnel into darkness. Vines and dirt lined the circular walls beside me, moving quicker as I tumbled into what seemed like emptiness. Tables, chairs, pianos and even the occasional cat were stuck inside of the mud, as though these unfortunate victims had not made it safely down the hole.

Annoyed with the situation, I managed to grab the handle of an oncoming chair. I was moving too fast however, and I lost my hold on it. "Stupid…" I grumbled. "I can't even hold onto it in my own dreams? What sort of funny world is this?"

Numerous objects continued to fly past me, one of them being a cow, and the longer it continued the more annoyed I became. I'd been in situations like this before. I'd hurt myself, go unconscious, sleep for a little and then wake up. Most of the time, I'd be back by that point, but perhaps the fall in the woods was worse than I had originally thought.

Beneath my feet, I saw a checkered floor. "Brilliant," I mumbled, bracing myself to hit the floor gently. However, my body wasn't stopping. It continued to pick up at rapid speeds. "Stop!" I shouted, trying to wake myself up. "Stop before I-"

My body hit the cold, checkered floor with a harsh thud. My face smacked against it, causing me to groan out in pain from the sudden impact. My cheek began to burn, and my arms felt like they had been whipped. I laid there in pain for a moment until I began to feel a bit better. "If I were asleep, that should have hurt so much less." The whole thing was starting to get old. Fast.

Carefully, I managed to haul myself up, cracking my back in the process. I glanced down at my wrinkled dress, flattening it out with my hands. It wasn't the first time I'd had a dream similar to this one. Only this place looked entirely new. Entirely different. My eyes looked upwards towards the place I fell from. I couldn't see a thing. Miles upwards stretched dirt walls, descending into blackness. "Brilliant," I mumbled, puffing a stray hair from my eyes.

My eyes scoped out the room before me. There was minimal light, and the tall walls were ominous. A few empty pantries were gathered in the room, brown like the hole I had fell down. One of them held a single tea pot. It's blue and white porcelain stuck out as I made my way towards it. "Hello, pretty," I said to the pot, picking it off the shelf. "You seem out of place here, don't you?"

I wasn't sure why I was talking to a pot, but if you would have been in my position, you might have acted differently too.

Although, people already told me that I was different.

Regardless, my curiosity got the better of me and I carefully set the tea pot on the table at the center of the room. The table was a tan, similar to the dirt on the walls above me, with a few cracks here and there. The tea pot stood out, bright and beautiful. It was a lovely scene. I wish I could paint it out for you, reader. But alas, this is a written story, not a drawn one.

I crouched down a bit so my eyes were in line with the lid. I smirked to myself, wondering how my bright blue eyes must have matched the porcelain. _Another brilliant idea for a painting_. I thought. Carefully, with my thumb and my pointer finger I gripped the top of the lid, ready to pull it off. Somehow, the suspense was horribly exciting. I'm sure it wasn't necessary, but why not make any situation more thrilling if there's nothing bad to come out of it?

That's a terrific standard to live by.

Flinging my hand back, the top popped off. I held the cool glass in my fingers with my eyes still on the lid. Nothing happened. Shutting my left eye, I peered into the pot. "Oh!" I said with surprise, seeing that there was actually tea inside. I sniffed it, wincing at the moldy smell. Something else awaited me. The tea leaves at the bottom wrote out a perfectly etched message;

_**Drink Me~**_

Laughing to myself, I put the top back on and backed away. "I'm not going to drink that." I placed my hands firmly on my hips, tapping my foot in annoyance. "Even if you didn't smell, I would have nothing to drink with-"

Behind me, as though on perfect queue, something rattled. I spun around, my bare feet spinning nicely on the tiled floor, just as they had in my Uncle's house. Two empty glass cups lay sideways on the floor behind me. Stepping closer to them, I picked them up carefully in each hand. "Interesting," I muttered, raising a brow. "What am I supposed to do with this extra one?"

Shrugging, I walked back over to the table, setting the other cup across the table from me. "Well," I said, pouring tea into it as well as into mine. "Might as well drink it while it's cold... and riddled with mold."

Pressing the icy glass to my lips, I took a sip of the tea. My eyes grew wide in surprise. The tea was actually good. And _warm_. "What a pleasant and unexpected surprise!" I said happily, smiling against the glass. Taking another sip, I shut my eyes in pleasure. "This dream is horribly life-like." Smirking to myself, I set the empty glass down on the table. "I don't mind it one bit."

Not a moment later, my stomach began to feel tighter. "Ouch…" I mumbled. I looked down at it to make sure that everything was alright. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but to me… Was I getting smaller? Or were my clothes getting bigger? Without a moment to think about what was happening, I felt myself tumble downward until my vision was nothing but green. I was suffocated by my emerald dress until I was permanently buried underneath it. Looking down to find myself in… well, nothing, I gasped. Quickly, I managed to find the arm hole to my dress, peeking my head cautiously out to make sure no one was there.

"Whoever did this," I grumbled. "You are a pervert."

Glancing around, I managed to find a ribbon which I wore around the waist. Snatching it before anyone could take notice, I began to tie it around myself until it felt tight enough not to fall off. Carefully, I tied a bow in the front, the bareness on my arms sending a chill down my spine. "Perhaps a dress will fall from the sky," I sighed, rubbing my head.

Nothing else came though. I stood there with nothing to do, no one to talk to, and a makeshift dress. I had to figure the rest out on my own. There was a momentary silence, and I could hear little pebbles of dirt falling from the walls above me. I glanced upwards, but still saw blackness. Giving out a heavy sigh of defeat, I plopped myself on the ground. I would take the fair maiden method. Someone would have to come and find me eventually to save me, right?

"It's her fault for drinking so much!" I heard a faint whisper say. My ears perked up instantly and I sat up straighter, looking around the room.

"Now look what you've done!" A higher, shrilly voice rang out. "She heard you!"

My head snapped around to the area the noise was coming from. A slow smile formed on my face. "How did I not see you before?" I chuckled, staring at a small wooden door. "Just my size." Hauling myself off the floor, I rushed over to it as fast as I could, still holding onto my loose dress.

"She's coming!" Someone shrieked from the other side.

Pushing with all my might, I knocked back the door, surprised to see what was waiting for me on the other side. There was no one there, at least, no one that was visible. The voices must have scampered off. There was something though. Something much more pleasant than the voices.

Stretching out for what could seem like miles was the most colorful garden I'd ever seen. "I knew there was something unique about the woods. I'm surprised I dreamt up something this pretty." Grinning, I squished my toes in the dirt beneath my feet. Making my way over to a rose, I held the flower in my hands gently. "I wish I had a color like you," I said to it, admiring the bright yellow. "My paints are pretty standard, unfortunately."

"Do not touch me!" Something suddenly shouted. My eyes lifted up, glancing around the area. "Did you not hear me?" A voice said from below. "I said, _do not_ touch me!"

Gasping, I dropped the flower immediately, stumbling backwards until I tripped and landed on my bottom. With my eyes wide and my mouth agape, I stared at the image before me. The rose had suddenly grown the face of an old woman with her eyes narrowed and her chin stuck out. "Why do you look so surprised?" She grumbled, turning her head…petals… to the side. "You're not surprised that you're even here, but you're surprised to see me?"

"Well, I didn't think I could dream something up as magnificent as you," I clarified.

"Flattering, but you're just another dreamer!" She laughed as he expression began to bury itself inside of her petals. "They always are."

Her face was entirely gone before I could even ask what she was going on about. "Wait!" I said, hauling myself up from the ground. "Can I ask you some questions?" There was no response. "Oh, fine. Don't help a young girl in distress!" Nothing was working.

Grumbling unpleasantly, I continued to make my way through the forest, pushing away any small bugs or branches that headed towards me. As I firmly marched, determined to find someone or something that could give me answers, flowers began to come out and look at me. Their eyes were quizzical, and they mumbled hushed whispers to one another. I wasn't going to ask any of them for help. They weren't very good at it, apparently. And somehow they were suddenly less surprising than before.

Not too far ahead, I spotted a large metal gate. Its curves made it seem ominous and suspicious, but to me it just fit in perfectly with everything else in the dream. I stopped walking for a moment to take a better look. "You must take me somewhere," I said aloud, taking another step forward.

"Don't!" A shaky voice called out from behind me.

Carefully, I turned myself around, surprised to see a small white rabbit dressed in a waistcoat. "You're…a rabbit. It wasn't you who spoke, was it?" The rabbit didn't say anything. It nervously fiddled with his hands, looking away from me with discomfort. It obviously did not like my presence. I was making it nervous. "Alright then, don't answer me. It must have been you." He still said nothing. "I like your vest," I said calmly, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.

"You're not supposed to be here!" He started to say, before someone else jumped out of a rose bush to get the last word. It was a small mouse with black, beady eyes and a purple dress that stared at me in disgust. She must have been the one with the shrilly voice.

"What are you doing here?" She shouted, pulling out a small needle from her pouch. Yes. Definitely the shrilly voice. "Who are _you_?" When I didn't answer right away, she rushed up to my foot, stabbing her needle into my toe. Letting out a shriek, I grabbed my heel and stumbled backwards until I found myself on my back. _That was real pain._ I thought. _I could definitely feel that. _The mouse managed to crawl up onto my chest, sticking her needle in my face. "I asked you a question, you raven-haired, silly girl!"

"Raven-haired silly girl?" I repeated. "My name is Maggie!" I shouted, swatting her needle away from my face. "You're a mouse and you're being very rude to me when this is _my_ dream!" She slowly pulled her needle away from my face. "That's all I know about you and that's all I care to know. So, if you could please get off of me...!" This was a perfect example of one of my 'snapping problems'. "You remind me of my obnoxious mother."

The mouse was appalled by my unlady-like manner. "At least _Alice _had some delicacy when she got here!" The mouse shouted to the rabbit. "I don't like this one, not one bit!" The rabbit could not hear her. He was fiddling with a long scroll, his eyes scanning it quickly.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly, ignoring the small creature.

The rabbit glanced up at me for a moment, then back down at the scroll. "You..." he began. "...are not written in."

"Written in?" Curiously, I moved closer to read the paper. Moving pictures of water, clouds, and numerous creatures were displayed before me. There was also a tall man with a top hat walking across a mountain. None of it seemed familiar. "Moving pictures," I whispered with a smile. "I wish my paintings could do that."

The rabbit gave me one last hesitant glance, before rolling the scroll up quickly. "No, no, this will not do. You must go back. There is no telling why you are here! No t-telling!" His voice shook with frustration as he tucked the large scroll into his tiny pocket. It disappeared like air.

"I tripped," I said simply, ignoring the sight before me. He still seemed nervous and ill at ease. I attempted to calm him down. Reaching out my hand, I touched his head. "You're very soft!" I said with a smile.

He mumbled something beneath his breath, patting down his fur resentfully. "Look… I-I don't want to seem rude, but I was never sent to get you and the Queen didn't-" He stopped talking for a moment to look me over. "Unless of course, she did?" A look of horror crossed his face.

"How could that be possible?" The mouse laughed. "You never miss a word she says." Sarcasm dripped from her words. "You're always _right on time_."

"That is not true." The rabbit disappointedly looked down at his watch. "I have a bad feeling about this one."

I sat in silence, watching the creatures chat back and forth to one another as though I wasn't there to hear it all. Watching them made my head begin to hurt. The mouse was so tiny she would have been labeled a dormouse in England. And the rabbit was as white as could be. They were normal looking, besides their clothes. But they could talk. How could they talk? How had his fur felt so soft? This was just a dream, wasn't it?

Nervously, I rubbed the back of my head, hoping to feel a bump from where I fell. I felt nothing but my messy hair. The more and more I questioned myself, the more my stomach hurt. The sound of the animals' voices was not comforting either. "Stop!" I shouted, shutting my eyes. "You're both… talking too loudly." The mouse and rabbit glanced at one another in confusion. "Just tell me what you want me to do. I would leave, but I'm afraid I don't know how. I don't seem to be waking up. So just tell me what to do."

"Fine," the mouse said with a grumble. She swiftly tucked her 'sword' back in her pouch. "You'll be coming with us." There was no pleasure in her voice at all.

"Where?" I asked silently.

The rabbit looked up at me with wide eyes before he answered.

Another pause.

"To our Majesty, the White Queen."

~.~.~.~

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. **** Please, please please review! And keep reading! I just downloaded the Alice soundtrack for some good background typing music~ **


	3. Fit for a Girl

We could have been walking for hours, or minutes but it was it felt like days. I grew tired of the magical place and the creatures ahead of me. I no longer held an interest for any of them. My back became slouched as my aching feet scuffed up dead, crunched leaves. The pretty roses I was so fond of, even the yellow ones, had suddenly vanished from my sight and we were in a less enchanting area with nothing but green trees. Their colours were quickly fading as it would during the fall. "Do you have seasons?" I suddenly asked, breaking the whispering between the rabbit and the mouse.

"Of course we do," the rabbit responded wisely. "We're in fallgust."

Amused, I raised my brow. "Fallgust. Because that's a mix between fall and August?"

He quizzically continued to look into my face. Finally, he shook his head. "I'm not sure what an _august _is, but here there are _gusts_ of winds that make the leaves _fall_." He paused, proud of his logical English. "Fallgust."

There was no arguing there. I kept my mouth shut for a while, thinking about how illogical English really was. Who even decided on words anyway? "Butterfly…" I mumbled to myself. "That makes no sense. It should be Flutterby. Because they flutter by you, no?" Scoffing, I shook my head in distress. English was not exactly my number one priority at the moment.

The dormouse would occasionally spin around, her little purple dress whipping furiously with her. She would look like she was going to ask me something, but would simply narrow her eyes at me and then turn back around. Every time she did it, I would stick out my tongue and twiddle my fingers by my ears. The act might have been childish, but it allowed me some authority over this strangely intimidating little mouse.

We kept walking, turning here and there, up and down hills, over large stones and sticks. I was highly impressed by their senses of direction, but the sky told me it was getting late and there was still no castle in sight. "Will we be getting there any time soon?" I asked, kicking a small pebble beneath the mouse's foot. She stumbled for a moment before threateningly pointing her needle at me and coming to a halt.

"Aye, watch it!" She shouted, coming closer to me with the needle. I had noticed when I entered the gardens that she was not terribly smaller than I was. Which meant that I was. Or that she was rather large. I went with the first decision. "Just who do you think you are?" She pestered, tucking her sword away.

"That," I mumbled. "Is an excellent question."

"Yes, and how did you get _here_?" The nervous rabbit choked out. No matter what anyone said to him, his nerves were always coming back up. Was this Queen one who frightened him into orders?

"My brother," I said simply. "He was chasing me around the woods. I tripped, fell down a very long, dirty hole and wound up in your tea room." The two of them exchanged glances before looking back at me. "That's honestly my story," I said with a shrug. "If you're expecting more, I'm sure I could create something a bit more interesting."

"It's just that… Well, we've never had you here before. Alice didn't remember, but we did. You're… entirely…new," the rabbit said slowly, narrowing his white eyebrows. His gaze was making me nervous, so I quietly brushed through them and kept walking. "Wait!" He shouted out. "You can't lead, you don't know where you're going!"

I ignored his calls and pressed on. "You're making me nervous. So, I left the conversation."

"Oh, stop acting so defiant," Dormouse spat. "As if you knew where to go!"

"As if _I_?" I laughed to myself, scooping up the hems of my loose dress in my hands. "As if you knew! We've been walking around these woods forever, and all I've seen was trees! I haven't even seen any animals! And no offense, but you're not the best of hosts."

I kept walking. I wasn't interested in any more conversation. I paused in my tracks when I finally decided to lift my eyes off of the forest floor. Before me stood a tall wooden stool. A table big enough for a party of eight, with a decorated table cloth and a China set in front of it. We were not inside a home; we were outside. Yet, there it stood. "Oh," I managed to breathe out.

"Didn't know where we were going? Yeah, right!" The mouse cursed, digging her nails into the leg of the stool and hauling herself up. She simply rolled her eyes, hopping down to the other end of the table and out of sight. I glanced over at the rabbit, who sat quietly.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Her old home," the rabbit said quickly. "Well, her home, and the Hatter, and the March Hare. They all used to live here until they moved closer to the Queen." I looked at him for a moment longer, hoping he would tell me more, but he stayed silent as we both waited for the dormouse to return.

She came back to the edge of the table, her paws firmly on her hips. "Well, raven girl, are you going to come up here or not?"

"My name is Maggie," I repeated with annoyance. "And I'm afraid I don't have claws like you."

"Ha!" She giggled at the top of her lungs; a laugh so obnoxious it could break windows. Quickly, I covered my ears in displeasure. "What a horrible reason for not being able to climb!" The mouse smirked, enjoying the fact that she was looking down at me. "And _you're_ the one with thumbs."

Not wanting to put up with her games, I stormed off in another direction. To my left stood a tall windmill house, the wings on it still turning slowly. I wondered if it ever stopped, regardless of the wind. "Wait, where are you off to now?" The rabbit shouted. "Dormouse, don't you have the enlarging drink up there on the table?"

"Yea! But if she doesn't want it, fine! Let her do what she wants."

I assumed this enlarging potion was for me to return to my normal size, but I found myself uninterested. I liked being small. At least for a little while longer. I made my way over to the door- or should I say doors- as it had three. One tall enough for a human, one tall enough for a hare, and one tall enough for a mouse. "How perfect," I said with a grin, opening up the smallest one.

I heard the dormouse call out to me before I walked inside. "Fine, go inside! You won't find anything of much importance in there! Not like the potion we've got right-" I slammed the door behind me before I had to listen to any more of her rambling.

And she was entirely wrong. The tall ceiling of the windmill house stretched up for what seemed like forever, just like the hole I fell down. A long, spiral staircase stood in the center of the room, painted a deep red and orange. Quietly, I took a couple of steps forward, my feet cold against wooden floor. To my left, an elaborate wall of cuckoo clocks stood. And to my right stood a small kitchen where everything in it was blue. "Funny," I said. "At least it's not yellow."

Something in the back caught my eye. A large, wooden door slightly cracked with bits and pieces of fabric spilling out. My mind traveled back to the rabbit's words; _Well, her home, and the Hatter, and the March Hare. They all used to live here. _"Hatter," I said in a whisper. "How very interesting."

My feet took my over to the door before I could realize where I was. My fingers gently pushed back the thin wood, the fabric tumbling out a little bit more. In the back however, something caught my eye. A long, green dress with purple flowers lining the bottom. The sleeves were thin and flowing, while the waist was stitched with a silk purple ribbon. My eyes could have been glistening. All I knew was that for the first time, I wanted a dress.

Stumbling my way back to the door, I bolted back outside towards the table. The dormouse still stood atop of it as she looked at me with haste. The rabbit fiddled his fingers together, anxiously waiting my return. "Are you flustered?" He asked, noticing my readiness to speak to them. I nodded, catching my breath. They exchanged quizzical glances before turning back to me. "Is there… anything we can do for you?"

"The enlarging potion," I said, extending my hand. "Toss it down to me, dormouse."

"Why should I?" She squeaked, crossing her arms across her furry chest. "You've been nothing but trouble. If I make you tall, you might squash us."

"Or," I said calmly. "I could carry you and we could get to our destination quicker." There was a pause as the two thought it over in their heads. "I would also like to make a request. There's a dress inside. I want it."

The rabbit quickly shook his head. "Those are not ours. Those are the Hatter's."

I shrugged, not seeing the problem. "Is the Hatter a woman?" They shook their heads. "Then I don't think he should have an issue with me wearing it if it's not his. Besides, if he wanted it then he would have taken it with him, don't you think?"

"You don't get it!" The dormouse snapped. "It's not his dress, or your dress, or even our dress! It's not for us. It's for someone else." Slowly, the dormouse's voice drifted away into a memory, one that I couldn't read upon her small face. She scratched her nose after a while, shaking away her thoughts. "You can't wear it!"

"If you want me any bigger, then I'm going to need clothes," I growled.

The rabbit nodded his head quickly. "She's right, dormouse. She can't walk around with nothing!" The mouse mumbled a curse beneath her breath before disappearing off down the table. "Don't mind her, Miss Maggie," the rabbit whispered. "She keeps a close eye on the Hatter. She never wishes to make him unhappy. Wearing that dress might, but I think he shall get over it."

"Why?" I whispered back. "Who is the dress for?"

Before he could answer, the dormouse made her way back to the edge of the table, a small purple flask in her hands. "Here!" She shouted, tossing it down in front of me. I took a step back as it landed, and rolled towards my feet. "Drink it fast. We're wasting time!"

Snatching the bottle from the grass, I tugged at the cork until it finally popped. The rabbit watched me nervously as I put the edge to my lips, getting ready to drink. I half wondered if it was poisonous, because of his nervous anticipation, but I realized he had simply been acting like that all along. "Here goes nothing," I mumbled, before chugging it down. After a brief moment or two, I could feel my muscles getting tense. I glanced down at the grass, noticing that it was slowly drifting from the proximity of my feet. "Oh no," I muttered when I realized how fast I was growing. Quickly, with my cheeks flushed, I sprinted towards the windmill house as fast as I possibly could, hoping my clothes wouldn't rip off before I made it inside.

I grabbed the cold handle of the biggest door in my hands, yanking it open and slamming it behind me when I got inside. I look down, the redness in my cheeks growing. "Oh heavens!" I gasped, rushing for the closet. I pulled on some random undergarments, and slipped the dress over my head in a daze. No one was with me, but I felt horribly awkward and self-conscious. As any girl would. I was making my way towards the door when I stopped; catching my reflection in a bright orange vanity mirror. "Lovely," I said with a smile, turning around in my new dress. "It fits just fine."

Still wearing my smile, I made my way outdoors and back to the mouse. Even more exciting, she was back to regular size, and I could easily scoop her in my hand. "Hey!" She shrieked as I went to put her in a pocket on my dress. "What are you doing?"

"Just hold onto the edge of the pocket," I said. "If I walk, we'll get there much faster."

"I'm not holding us up!" She shouted from my pocket, peeking her little, white head out. "… Am I?" The rabbit stayed silent, before hopping away ahead of me. I couldn't resist cracking another smile.

"And, we're off!"


	4. Sweet Dreams, Raven

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long. Funny story, I auditioned for Alice in Wonderland the Musical. I got the Queen of Hearts :D So, that's what's been keeping me busy lately! "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" **

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews, by the way. I was doubtful at first, but because of you guys, I am not. :D Please keep reviewing and reading! **

**~Mistro**

**~.~.~.~.~**

"With a… hey, ho… the wind and the rain," I continued to sing as sleep sunk itself further into my body. Unfortunately for me, I started humming a song that I _did _know and it got stuck in my head.

I warned you.

My feet were lazily being tossed; one in front of the other as we made our way into a darker area of the forest. The moon was high. It must have been a couple of hours since we left the windmill house. Everything around me was still, even the trees. There was not another soul in sight. I continued to sing lazily. "What that I was and a-"

"Stop singing," The dormouse grunted angrily from my pocket. "You've been singing the same song for an hour!" I could tell by her slurred words how tired she was. Luckily for her, she wasn't the one walking. The rabbit hopped ahead of us, slower now than before. His back was hunched and he hadn't spoken for quite some time. We were all tired; that was clear. I was so tired I didn't even feel like arguing with the dormouse.

I leaned my head back sluggishly to have my eyes rest upon the moon. "That's odd," I said, noticing its 'c' shaped form. "I could have sworn a moment ago the moon was full." The rabbit suddenly stopped in his tracks, spinning around to face me. "What?" I said, quizzically gazing back at him. "Your moon changes shape? It wouldn't surprise me."

His eyes darted around my face quickly. He said nothing, but his eyes looked worried again. "We're not alone," he mumbled. I stepped back in surprise by his statement. My head shot about, looking for someone else but there was no one.

"Don't say such things," I mumbled. "It's frightening."

_"Am I…? Frightening?"_

A loud echo bounced off of the trees. The voice was low, and almost like a purr. My heart was beginning to beat harder against my ribs. "Rabbit!" I shouted, backing up from the scene. "What's going on?" No one else seemed as scared as I, but I wasn't exactly a fan of the dark and an unknown voice being added to it wasn't any more comforting. "Show yourself!" I said firmly, wishing I had a sword like the dormouse.

Inches away from my face, a figure suddenly appeared. At first it was just a long, stretched out smile that shined before my eyes. Then suddenly, large blue eyes. Afterwards, a triangle nose, and to finish it off a fat body with blue and purple fur. The creature hung suspended in the air with a mischievous smile on its face. I was taken aback surely, but I was no longer afraid. "A cat," I said breathlessly. "You're a cat."

"And what's wrong with that?" He rhymed, rolling in the air.

I blinked my eyes to try and make sense of it all. I could feel my mouth hanging open in awe. "I didn't think I'd ever be able to dream a thing like _you _up," I muttered loud enough for him to hear me.

"Dream?" He cooed. "Ah, I see… You're one of _those_ people." He let out a rumbling laugh, redirecting his gaze towards the rabbit. "Who is she, rabbit friend?"

"Maggie," I said stepping forward. "My name is Maggie."

"Raven girl," the dormouse spat out in annoyance from my pocket.

"Hush," I said, pushing her further into the pouch with my finger. "My name is Maggie. What's yours?" The cat looked at me for a moment in surprise. His large eyes scanned my face for a moment, until he relaxed and crossed his cat arms beneath his chin. He looked up at me with another smile.

"Cheshire…" He said slowly, and carefully, each letter dripping off of his tongue. "I would ask more questions…" He said, his body quickly disappearing. I gasped when he suddenly reappeared next to my face. "…but I'm afraid that I'm rather tired." He yawned, stretching out his paws. "You seem tired too… _Maggie_." I didn't mind the cat. I could tell he wasn't going to hurt us, although the mouse was trembling in my pocket. Something about his words seemed to make her nervous, and she knew more of that world than I did.

I shook my head. "No, we're going to keep walking, Cheshire Cat." I looked at the rabbit for reassurance, but he looked as disapproving as the feline. "Aren't we? I mean, we've gotten this far. Do you really trust these woods?"

"You said it yourself," The cat mumbled as he suddenly appeared in a tree a few feet ahead. "These woods aren't filled with anyone else… But me," He laughed, grinning again. His statement made me realize that he'd been following us for quite a while. I wonder what he thought of us and our pathetic attempt to go somewhere that didn't seem to exist. "If you want to go to the Queen… You'll need to sleep on it."

The rabbit nodded his head. "Yes… There are a few more paths to take, but we shouldn't be too far," he said. "A little rest would do us all some good, I think." My eyes scanned the trees around me. "We'll be alright," he said as though reading my thoughts. "Since the White Queen has reigned, the woods are safe now."

The cat laughed from the branch. "Most parts."

Although his statement was not reassuring, I could feel my eyes drooping more and more. Sleep was overpowering me and I didn't know how much further I could walk. Somewhere in the back of my mind I hoped the Queen had a huge, soft bed waiting for us. But, like the rabbit and dormouse had so clearly pointed out, I wasn't supposed to be there. "Fine," I said suddenly, capturing everyone's attention. "We'll go to sleep here. Where's a good spot, rabbit?"

"Up ahead there's a meadow."

"Lovely," I sighed, marching my way forward. "A little bit of sleep shouldn't hurt anyone." The rabbit followed behind me, and the dormouse did not object. Although the Cheshire cat was hidden, I knew he was still following us. After a few strides out of the woods, I came across a meadow by a lake. It didn't look like the most comfortable place, but the grass was tall and soft. "This should be fine, yes?" Everyone nodded. "Dormouse, would you like to sleep inside my pocket?" She wasn't pleased that it was _my_ dress (although technically it belonged to some other girl), but she was comfortable and didn't feel like moving. Slightly, she nodded her head. "Terrific."

I flung myself onto the grass, tucking my arm under my head. "Thank goodness it's not cold," I mumbled, feeling surprisingly warm. The rabbit looked uncomfortably around for a hole. When unable to find one, he sadly curled himself up a few feet away from us and slid into sleep.

"Goodnight," I whispered to no one in particular. However, I got a response back.

"Sweet dreams, Maggie… Whatever they may be…"

I opened my eyes to see that half moon smile, the rest of his body suddenly invisible. After a few blinks, it was gone.

~.~.~.~.~

I woke up to the smell of berries at my nose. The smell wafted into my senses easily, causing my stomach to fully notice how empty it was. I cracked open my eyes as the sensation of hunger took over. "Rabbit?" I shouted, noticing he wasn't there. I glanced down at my pocket to see that the dormouse was also gone. "Hello?" I said again, hauling myself off the meadow ground. The sun was partly up as it decorated the sky with a light blue. "Cheshire? Dormouse?" There was no response. I was still in the meadow, I was just… alone. "Where did everyone go?"

The berries continued to make their way to my nose. I clamped my hands over my stomach as it let out a low growl. "Hush," I muttered to my belly. "I'll go and find you some food." I sloshed my way through the dewy grass, making my way back into the forest where the smell grew stronger. "Hello, can anyone hear me?"

"Oh, stop all of your shouting!" The familiar squeak of the dormouse said beside me. I turned my head to see the rabbit and dormouse with berries spilling from their pockets and paws. "We're gathering food for you, you great ox!"

"Give me some. I'm starving," I mumbled, bending down and snatching some from her paws. She gasped at my assertiveness, but as I tossed them into my mouth I didn't care, as I was drowning in bliss. "These are amazing!" I breathed, my eyes twinkling as I looked down at the red balls in my hand. "What on Earth are they?"

"Skuttleberries," The rabbit said nonchalantly. "The very best in Underland."

I paused my chewing to stare blankly at him. "I'm sorry. Underland?"

My two guides looked slowly at one another before facing me again. "It must have slipped our minds not to tell you," The white rabbit said. "That is the name of our world. Underland." I liked the sound of it. Underland sounded very much like the Underworld however, which was not entirely flattering.

"That makes me curious," I mumbled, scratching my head. "What else has a name that I don't know about?" I looked at my two companions. "… Do you two have names?"

The dormouse offered me nothing but a glare. I took that as a 'no'. However, the rabbit smiled for the first time on our journey. "McTwisp, is my name!" He was highly proud of it.

"Fitting," I said with a smile. "It suits you very well, McTwisp."

He cracked another furry smile before popping another rosy berry into his mouth. "You'd better enjoy these fruits while you can. They'll be gone tomorrow. They smell the strongest on their very last day of being around, and today they are very strong indeed." I sadly ate another delicious fruit, upset that something this good would be gone so suddenly. A quick thought of home flashed into my mind; my brother's strawberry pie he would make every summer. A sadness flashed through me at the thought of him, but I was distracted and did not think too much on it. "We must head out," the rabbit said. "They're expecting us now."

"They are?" I said, cocking my head to the side. "How could they know of our whereabouts?"

"Surely Cheshire made his way forward and told them we were coming," The dormouse said as though I was stupid. "He continued on after we fell asleep. They're expecting us and are probably very anxious to meet you." She scoffed, scrunching up her nose. "They shouldn't raise their excitement too high."

I could have squashed that mouse. Instead, I put aside my anger and faced the direction of the meadow. "So, which way do we go? What's beyond this meadow?"

"Waters," McTwisp said. I liked being able to call him by his name. It made a connection. As for the dormouse, I didn't care to know. "And more meadows."

"Waters," I said with a smile. "Must we cut across them?" Both of my companions shook their head. "So, more meadows then? More grasses and woods." I sighed sadly, the thought of more trees suddenly unappealing. Even if it meant being seasick, waters didn't sound too bad. "I think we should go through the water."

The mouse let out another shattering giggle. "Aye! You're only a silly girl. You haven't got any idea where to go! So, you shouldn't be saying anything."

I can't really explain what it was. I'm an illogical girl, if you haven't been able to tell. And sometimes a wave of defiance sweeps over me that somehow I can't control. I don't know where it comes from, but I end up acting very much like a child and in the end it rarely ever turns out good. I can't ignore it though, it just happens. And then was one of those times. One of my 'problems'. "No," I said firmly, dropping the rest of my berries. "I am not going through any more meadows or grasses. I'm going on the water."

The rabbit blinked at me in confusion. "But, why? That will only take longer. And without guides, you won't be able to find your way."

"I'll find someone, won't I?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "After all, you said they're expecting me. If I get lost, someone ought to come and find me." There was a long pause as we all stared at one another. "Besides, this is_ my_ dream. I control where I can and cannot go. I don't need a pair of animals telling me what to do."

"But-" McTwisp began.

"No, no!" The dormouse smiled, cutting him off. "Let her go off by herself." She quickly pulled out her needle, pointing it threateningly towards me. "I'd like to see how long she'd last!"

"Well, I think I already know two or three things around here that can help me out," I said defensively.

"Tell us."

"The roses talk." I began. "There are bright red berries I can eat that will keep me full. You already said yourselves the forests aren't that unsafe now that some Queen has taken over. They're already trying to find me. And I know what general direction you're going, so if I go in a boat then I should be able to find a large castle." No one said a word. "Have a sense of adventure!" I laughed suddenly, tossing up my arms.

The dormouse smiled to herself, happily tucking her sword away. "Looks like you're all set to go! You won't need our help." She skittered past me. "See you at the castle, you great ox of a girl!" She began to giggle again until it quietly hummed out of range.

McTwisp and I stood, looking anxiously at one another. "Miss Maggie," he mumbled. "Please don't get lost. Can't… can't you just go with us?" I shook my head, that five-year old coming out of me. "There… are boats. And the lake is not that big. I just worry that…"

"Don't worry," I said quickly. "I've been having to take care of myself for a very long time. This shouldn't be anything new." He opened his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off with a pat on the head. "It was lovely meeting you, McTwisp the Rabbit. We will see each other by the end of the day." I began to move east towards the lake. "I guarantee it."

~.~.~.~.~.~

It was easy finding a boat. The lake wasn't far off, just about an hour east of the meadow. It was huge and vast; the water was clear and shallow the whole way through. I almost laughed aloud when I saw it. "I don't need a boat for this," I chuckled. "I could hike through this water it's so thin."

Daintily, I slipped off purple slippers that I had found beside the dress, and dripped my bare toes into the water. The warm sensation tingled for a moment until a smile spread across my face. The water felt soothing against my skin, and the sensation reminded me that it had been a couple of days since I'd bathed. The sooner I reached the castle, the better.

After I'd lost the Rabbit- who chased me for quite some time- I felt free and independent in a world that was not even mine. I didn't run into any new creatures. It was like everyone was on the opposite side of the water, just waiting for my arrival. Another land was calling out to me as I climbed into the boat.

Shaking off my thoughts, I slipped my shoes back on and climbed slowly inside. It was small and built for two. When I sat down inside, I noticed how elegant the vessel actually was. It was painted white with the wooden tips carved into crowns. "A great Queen..." I muttered to myself, as I dipped the oars in the water. "That ought to be interesting."

The muscles in my arms tensed as I cut the oars through the water. I stared ahead at the trees lined up in a perfect row. The woods looked so small from the boat. Had I really trekked through them for a day? Or was time moving slower than I thought? I shut my eyes for a minute, listening to the sounds around me. There was the water, slashing up against the boat. There was some noise from an animal I couldn't see; a bird most likely. And there was the slight breeze of the wind. If I would have opened my eyes, I could have thought I was in England again. Only, I knew I wasn't. I was stuck in this fantasy world that found its way in my head. I had plenty of those for one lifetime, but this one was the most realisitc. There was something special about it. I wondered, as did my companions, exactly why I was there.

As I continued to make my way across the pond, I couldn't help but feeling like I was one step closer to finding out.

~.~.~.~

**Sorry for the short and rather unproductive chapter. I'm going to update another soon… so keep your eyes peeled and expect something much more exciting. :D Thanks! Please review! **


	5. Queen's Proposal

**Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I've been extremely busy because of Alice rehearsals. Also, a note: This story takes place AFTER Tim Burton's film, but it's still using the same setting and characters and such. All of which I don't own! EXCEPT FOR MY CHARACTERS! Which are the ones you don't know about! XD **

**Okay, well I'm done babbling. On with the madness. Please review and stuff! Thanks for the feedback, you don't know how much it means to me… No, really, I love it, keep it coming. I write for you, so suggest away!**

**~Yours, Mistro~**

**~.~.~.~.~**

It was like the hole all over again. The lake, which should have taken at least an hour to get across seemed to take only seconds. I think if I should have closed my eyes, it would have felt like a mere moment in time. Of course, I didn't complain. Traveling a shorter distance than one expects is nothing that one should complain about. So, when I felt the tips of my oars brush against a soft, clay surface beneath thinning waters, I spun my head around to see just how close the shore was. I was surprised to see it no more than a few feet away, so I stood up in the boat, getting ready to hit land.

The atmosphere was quiet, but there distant breeze twisting fallen leaves into a minor tornado on the shore. It wasn't eerie, but I suddenly felt very alone and unsure of myself. I didn't care to admit it to anyone, but since no one was around I let my cover fall. I wrapped my arms around myself, still standing in the halted boat. I looked around cautiously before I stepped out, just to make sure I wasn't going to be startled… or step on a dormouse.

When my slippers hit the moist dirt, I jumped as far away from the wet ground as I could. A few feet before me I saw another forest. I could have cried. Yet, somehow this one was different. Something about the way the tumbling wind blew the yellow leaves in my direction entranced me. It was like they were arms, reaching out to me. _Maggie…_ I swore I heard a whisper as I shut my eyes. _Raven…_

Quickly, my eyes snapped open. Was I going to be fooled by these yellow trees with black trunks? Or would I hop back in the boat and go back to where I came from? I stood for a moment, rolling the options over in my head. The sudden thought occurred to me as my mind searched through itself. Where_ did_ I come from? England, obviously I knew that. Yet, when I fell down that hole, there was no way of getting back up it. It was a horrible thought. Even though there wasn't much to do in a place like that, I found myself feeling a bit homesick. What would happen when it consumed me?

_Don't think that yet… _I hear a murmur of taunting voices call out to me, as I stood plastered to the shore. _You can't go back anyway… _

Slowly, I spun myself around. I was not surprised to see that the whispers were right. My boat! "No!" I called aloud, my eyes bulging out of my head. My little boat was now buried in a blue cloak of fog and water as it rolled out into the middle of the lake. I sighed, watching it until it vanished in a sudden appearance of mist. "How unfair!"

Sloppily, I sloshed through wet mud until I finally felt dry, green grass beneath my feet. I was now only inches away from the black and yellow trees. "You think you're charming," I mumbled to them as I headed into the woods. "You and all of your whispers... it's nothing special." There was a moment of silence. Then a giggle. I could have sworn the trees were laughing at me. Mother might have often called me crazed, but I was certain she would have heard it too.

As I continued to walk, with severe caution, the woods became different to me. The trees were more spread apart than the other forest. They were huge, towering above me like an evil knight. They were blowing everlastingly, golden leaves tumbling down around me and lining my path like a red carpet. It felt almost serene and unreal. I felt like a princess in those woods… A feeling that I had never felt before. It felt like the trees loved me and that they wanted to hug me with their thick branches. I stopped for a moment to pick up a leaf and hold it in my fingers. The sensation pulled me in as I brushed my thumb across the smooth texture. Everything was glowing and soft. The yellow was beautiful. It had been years since I'd loved yellow or looked at it the way I was in Underland. Something about that place was different… It was making me new.

~.~.~.~.~

_"Madeline!" Mother called out to Maggie, her voice full of desperation. "Where have you gone to? We still have to fix your dress!" _

_ Maggie was giggling to her ten-year old self from the side wall of their house. She had her mother rushing all over the yard looking for her. But, Maggie was trying to run away so she could go show her neighbors the new dress. For once, she felt as pretty as they looked. When she heard her mother getting closer, she sprinted off through the hedges, cutting her arms up a bit, but keeping her dress nice and bright, and yellow._

_ Maggie laughed to herself as she rushed into Ann's backyard, the hem of her dress gripped tightly in her shaking hands. Ann and a few other girls sat in Ann's backyard, watching Maggie burst through the hedges. Firstly, they looked at her with confusion, and then their eyes grew wide in admiration. Maggie could see the shock in their face, even from feet away. "Ann!" Maggie said out of breath as she rushed up to the blonde girl._

_ Ann very slowly stood up, placing her hands on her un-grown hips and looking Maggie up and down. "What are you wearing?" _

_ "Look at my dress!" Maggie beamed, spinning around. "Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it the prettiest yellow you've ever seen?"_

_ Ann considered this for a moment, her face unreadable. She didn't look pleased at all. After a few seconds, Ann extended her small hand greedily. "Give it to me," she demanded._

_ Maggie's plump, pink lips dropped into a frown. "Why would I give it to you?"_

_ "Because," Ann said matter-of-factly. "It doesn't look good on you. It will look good on me and only me." Maggie bit her lip in an attempt not to cry. "Don't you hear me?" Ann pestered. "If you wear that dress, people will only laugh at you."_

_ "Why would they laugh at me?" Maggie said as her moist eyes were unable to be hidden._

_ "Because, yellow is a horrible color on you. You look pasty, and your black hair makes you look like a witch," Ann said. "You look ugly, Madeline March." The other girls nodded their heads silently in agreement. Maggie wanted to shout at them, but she said nothing. She shut her mouth and cried. After a few minutes of Ann simply glaring at her, she heard her savior's voice. _

_ "Madeline," her mother sighed from behind her. Maggie felt two soft arms grab her, and pull her from the ground. "Don't run off like that," her mother said, pressing her to her chest and stroking her hair. "We still have a lot of work to do."_

_ Maggie might have not cared so much about what Ann said to her. However, her mother had said nothing. She didn't ask why Maggie cried. And once they got home, and got the dress fixed, Maggie's mother stared at her and shook her head. "No, no," her mother sighed, exhausted towards their maid. "It isn't right for her. Take it off."_

~.~.~.~.~

Maybe that is a stupid reason as to why I don't like yellow. But, it wasn't just that day. Every day, Ann ridiculed me. I had no friends. I had no love. I had no one but my brother. And as special as that may sound, it was not, because he had his own friends. They were boys who looked at me the same way Ann did. They saw a girl who locked herself in her room and painted fairytales that would never come true.

I knew better, though. I knew that I was the one posessing the real soul. I just couldn't do anything about it. Bravery never suited me, and so I shut everyone out. I tell others off to pretend that I am strong. My true self is covered up for only my brother's eyes.

Why am I telling you this, you ask? Because you've gotten this far in my story. You must be slightly interested in me.

So, thank you for sticking with me this long.

Anyways, let's go back to where I left off.

A sudden rush of love for that color came flooding back to me as I held the leaf in my hand. Eventually, I let it tumble back to the ground with its brothers in sisters, looking up at me in admiration. I almost pretended they sprouted lips and said, "Your black hair looks lovely against us and our golden complexions, Maggie. _You _look lovely. Just you."

I smiled, and felt my cheeks grow red as I pretended to think about this. I could flatter myself every once and I while, couldn't I?

The air was silent for a little while more, and a sudden skip in my step occurred out of nowhere. I felt like dancing, but I merely hopped along, enjoying the silence and the low humming of my own voice.

Until I was interrupted, that is.

I'll have you know I get interrupted a lot in my story, but most of it turns out well…. Most of it.

A few feet I front of me, leaves began to crunch quickly under multiple feet. I knew there were more than two by the rate of the crunching. I stood in place for a moment, finding myself rather relaxed. If I already saw talking flowers and mice, what else could surprise me? And there it appeared, like a normal dog in the woods back home. A hound dog looked at me with surprise in its drooping face. It's curious, saggy eyes could not seem to fathom who I was. "I thought it was you..." he said suddenly, his thick cockney accent filling my ears. "You smelled different from everything else."

I smiled, dropping my ankle into a curtsey. "Hello, I'm Maggie March." Nothing seemed to surprise me any more.

The dog looked me over, sniffing the air around us a few times. With a smile, he stretched out his front paw, bowing his head down to me as well. "I'm not sure why, but I don't think you're as horrible as the dormouse made you out to be."

"She wasn't fond of me," I said. "If I have a say in any of my first opinions, I would suggest you listen to McTwisp. I'm sure he was slightly more kind in his choice of words." The hound looked me over a little more before he took a few steps forward.

"McTwisp was the one who told me to come and find you. The dormouse did not recommend it." I looked into his old, brown-patched face and found myself liking this animal very much. I was not the least bit surprised he could talk, but by his calmness. I half expected him to be very hyper when he spoke, but he was older and wiser than most dogs. "Miss March, I have come to receive you by request of McTwisp and by acceptance of her majesty the White Queen."

"The Queen," I said with a smile. "Only moments ago I had been imaging myself to be a Princess."

"I'm afraid we don't have one of those."

"What's your name?"

"Bayard," He said nobly, nodding his head politely once again. "Bayard the Bloodhound. However, you can simply call me Bayard. The White Queen is most curious to meet you, Miss March and requests that you come with us to the castle so that she may ask why you're here."

My stomach twisted a bit beneath my purple dress. Could I answer the dog? Could I answer the Queen? How could I be able to, if I couldn't even answer the question myself? I shook my head, taking a step backwards. "No, I can't go with you." I spat out, nerves getting the better of me.

"Why not?"

"Because, _I_ don't even know why I'm here," I mumbled pathetically. My knees finally gave up, and I sunk to the floor, landing amongst the soft leaves. The brief anxiety I felt moments ago disappeared as I hit the ground. "If the Queen wants an answer, I'm afraid I haven't got one. And truthfully, I'm not looking forward to disappointing a Queen."

I stared at the leaves for a while, still running my thumb over them, trying to make up my mind if I should go or not. Surely, they would know a way back to where I came from, right? If there's a way in, there's a way out. Yet, as I stared at the plants and thought back to the roses and the animals, did I want to leave yet? I felt as though there was so much more that I wanted to see... _had _to see. If I didn't, I might miss out on something great.

"One thing I have learned throughout my days, Maggie," Bayard suddenly interrupted my thoughts. "Is that you should always say 'yes' to new things." I looked into his black eyes with sincerity as I listened to him speak. "You never know what you might learn. You never know who you might meet."

"You're right," I laughed softly. "I have always been afraid of new things. I try and hide it." Slowly, I cocked my head to the side. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. I think it's the trees. They have a calming effect on me." Bayard said nothing. He simply smiled. He understood.

And what I said was true. This new place across the lake was different. I felt relaxed there. The reason was also very clear as to why I felt that way. I fit in. I felt like suddenly I entered a world where I could look at a talking dog, and he could look at me, and we wouldn't judge the other. He _wanted_ to talk to me. So, why shouldn't I talk back?

"That's a very funny thing to say," someone suddenly spoke from behind me. "Aha!" A giggle erupted. "Bayard, you heard that didn't you? Of course you did, she was talking to you." Another giggle. "As time goes on, I still find it very funny... the trees are having an effect on people!"

I scrunched my brows together, not turning my head around until the strange voice stopped talking. A few vowels were lost between a slight lisp, and the vocalizations shifted up and down dramatically. I wondered what kind of creature this could be. The words could be taken as an insult, but I was more curious about the person than the meaning behind his words. "Shall I guess what creature you are?" I asked the person behind me, tossing leaves behind my head.

There was silence. Bayard stared in the background at the other member of his party. "I'm sorry." The voice behind me chuckled. "Was it very rude of me not to step in front of you? If you like, I can guess what kind of creature _you _are!"

The thought was a curious one. Obviously, they could see me. "Fine," I snickered. "Guess what kind of creature _I _am."

"A raven." The voice sighed. After a moment, the voice applauded themselves with a light clap of their own hands. I looked at Bayard in annoyance, but he was simply smiling. He must have been used to this creature's notions by now, but I certainly wasn't. "Oh, you are most _definitely _a raven. What, with your black hair and all!"

"What is with everyone around here and ravens?" I nearly shouted, pushing myself up from the floor. I spun around to face my guest, my face most likely red from the wind as well as annoyance.

The thing behind was not exactly as I expected it to be. Before me stood a tall, lanky figure. His feet were planted firmly in the ground, but his body leaned back a bit. His arms were open at his sides, his fingers all repeatedly hitting his thumbs like an obsession. His long, patched up jacket hung loosely at his sides, just loose enough for me to see his colorful wardrobe. His dark vest and pin-striped pants fit him smugly. What was most entrancing was his face. It was pale, even paler than mine. I would have suspected he painted it over every morning. His strange pink and purple makeup accentuated the green in his eyes, somewhat frighteningly. And his hat, his glorious top hat, stood nobly atop sprouts of bright orange hair. He was not what I expected him to be, but he was a man. That was very obvious.

"Oh," I breathed out, almost in a dream-like sigh. I didn't want to blink. Now that I recall, I don't believe I _did _blink, because I remember my eyes getting quite watery. He was superlative. He was like a painting brought to life; a splash of colors that I only wish I had in my collection. And though he was a man, he was a very different one. That was clear. I was at a loss for words. I hadn't expected another person to show up… especially looking like he did.

His smiling face looked me up and down for a moment, before his pink lips tightened into a frown. "That's my dress," he said, cocking his head to the side. His lips pursed out before him, quizzically looking me over. I thought for a moment he would yell at me but he simply giggled, his green eyes scrunching up into nothing. "It looks charming on you!" He laughed, until his laugh slowly began to die out into nothing. His face suddenly carried an empty and distant look.

I stared at him with confusion. His mood changed rapidly fast, and for what reason, I didn't know. However, I was able to put the facts together very quickly. "You're the Hatter, are you not?" He snapped out of his daze, his lights once again lighting up. He was pleased that someone had recognized him. "Yes, it is you. I can tell by your top hat. The dormouse and McTwisp told me about you." He still said nothing, but simply rocked on his toes with a wide grin plastered on his face. "I like this dress very much," I said simply. "I hope you aren't too upset with me wearing it."

"Upset?" He laughed, tossing his hands up. "Such a silly notion." He walked over to me, a tight smile on his face the whole time. Gently, he patted my head twice and continued waking on. I turned around to meet eyes with Bayard. He shrugged. He couldn't explain the Hatter's actions any more than I would be able to.

I sighed, forcing a confused smile onto my face. "I guess this means the whole party is here and we should keep moving on then, doesn't it?" Bayard nodded in return. "Well, this is sure to be interesting."


	6. A Change of Character

**Please review! :) And thank you for all of the notes so far! Your support means a lot.**

**~Mistro**

~.~.~.~.~.~

"The Queen is dead, the Queen beheads, and all along the way…" The Hatter had been continuously singing in a thick, Scottish accent for a very long time as we walked. Bayard and I said nothing, only because neither of us really seemed to care. Surprisingly, the hatter's voice wasn't bad, and it wasn't bothering anyone. "She flicks her wrist, and with a twist, heads go rolling away!" The Hatter grinned, erupting into chuckles once again. I raised a brow quizzically, wondering what kind of joy he found within such lyrics. "The Queen, she has a Knave of Hearts, whose legs are tall as trees. And when he walks into a room, the ceiling's all he sees!"

Bayard smiled a bit at this verse, and I could tell by their grins that there was meaning behind the song. "Do you mind if I inquire as to why you keep singing that story?" I asked. "Do you know these people?" Both of them glanced at me before looking back at the other.

"Before you came, a Red Queen ruled our world," Bayard explained slowly. "She locked up the White Queen's men and threatened to behead most of the population."

The Hatter nodded wildly as his orange curls bobbed up and down. "It's true," he said sharply. His eyes seemed to flash a shade of red. "The Queen was a nasty one, but on Frabjous day, her and her fiery beast came to an end." A change swept through the Hatter as his voice rose and grew with each word. His chest was heaving; I could see the anger and pride simultaniously bubbling up inside of him. My eyes grew wide with this sudden change of character.

"Hatter," Bayard said sternly. The Hatter's eyes, which were still directed at me, faded back to their glowing green. His malicious smile drooped into a frown. His eyes scanned my face before he turned his back to me and walked on. "At any rate, what he said was true," Bayard sighed. "The Red Queen and her Knave were sent away to an island. Deserted together for eternity for their crimes."

The thought of being stranded on an island seemed pleasant at first, but the longer I thought on it, it seemed a lonely and unsatisfying life. "That's a very sad story." My toes kicked the dirt into swirls around my ankles. "They must have gone crazy."

"It's been about four-hundred days since our Queen has sent them out there," Bayard said. "Every few months a group goes to check on them." His brown dog eyes looked up at me with a nervous gaze locked away in them. "Just to make sure that they're still there."

I looked away from him in discomfort. I had never seen or heard of this Queen and her Knave. Judging by the Hatter's words, she didn't seem too welcoming. If she kept her own people in danger for so long, she must have been pure evil. How was she struck down? I decided to tuck that question away for later. I was afraid of how the Hatter might react to more mentions of his past. I made a note to myself however; find out more about this Frabjous day.

We were walking through hills after a while; hills of golden ground with pebbles and weeds sprouting up. I had asked Bayard repeatedly how close we were to the castle, and always got the same response; "It is right over this hill." I couldn't begin to imagine how long 'this hill' was.

No trees rose up from the mountains and as we continued to walk on, the light blue sky continued to grow darker. I wondered if the dormouse and McTwisp had gotten to the castle yet, and if we were on the shortest route possible. My eyes were constantly gazing at the back of the Hatter's dirty old coat as he continued to walk in silence. As the sky began to grow purple and green, Bayard's saggy eyes seemed to droop with every flickering out of the sun. He seemed strong, but even he looked very tired. Slowly and quietly, I crept past him and stepped next to the Hatter. I turned my head sideways to get a better look at him.

His green eyes stared forward and I could see a smile forming on his face. He knew that I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to ask him questions, but no words found their way off of my tongue. He beat me to the punch. "Tell me, if you know…" He said slowly. "How is a raven like a writing desk?"

I narrowed my brows in confusion by the question. Was he talking about me when he said raven? Or did he mean the bird? I scrunched up my pouted lips in wonderment. What a funny question. "Because," I said as an answer easily appeared in my head. "Poe wrote on both."

My words must have astounded the Hatter, considering he made an effort to halt dramatically in his path. He spun around smoothly on his worn-out boots in order to face me properly. Bayard also stopped, confused as to what was delaying our journey. "Is that the real answer?" the Hatter asked with wonder.

I nodded my head slowly. "I… I think so. I think it is as good of an answer as I can give you."

"Yes, perhaps. Who is Poe?"

"Edgar Allen," I said with a smile. The Hatter blinked back at me with no form of recognition. "Oh…" I laughed, not realizing. "Of course you don't know who he is. I wouldn't expect you to in a world like this. Poe wrote a poem in my world. It's called _The Raven_. It was very unique. I always enjoyed it."

The Hatter stepped towards me, his eyes narrowed down at me in disbelief. He looked as though he were sizing me up; he didn't trust me. "Recite it." He said firmly. "Recite the poem."

"Well…" I muttered. "It's a rather _long _poem…"

"Some of it," Hatter said urgently, as if my recitation would be a revelation for him. It was as if his entire world depended upon that very poem. "A part with the word 'raven' in it."

The poem's words flashed by in my head. I could hear my brother's voice ringing in my mind, reading it to me over and over again as I had asked him to do. Slowly, I began to recite what I recalled.

"Open here, I flung the shutter, when with many a flirt and flutter… in there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he…" I stopped, struggling to remember the next verse. "But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more."

The Hatter continued to look at me in disbelief. "Who is this Pallas?" He cried desperately, grabbing me by the shoulders. My body froze up, unaccustomed with a man touching me. Of course, I had never bothered to study that particular section.

"Hatter," Bayard said calmly. "We're almost there. Perhaps you and Miss March can discuss these things one we get to the Queen." His dark eyes stared up at the sky. "It's beginning to turn to dusk."

Very slowly, the Hatter's hands fell from my shoulders. I could have misinterpreted his look, but he seemed to grow sad once again, like he had when I mentioned the dress. Something was bothering him. One thing was clear, however; I was the only person who had ever answered his question properly. He turned harshly away from me and quickened his pace. His fingers began the same dance they had performed earlier, as each finger touched his thumb quickly, one at a time.

"Why does he do that?" I whispered to Bayard after the Hatter was a good distance ahead of us. "Where does he zone off to?"

"It's because of Alice," Bayard said calmly. "She defeated the Red Queen on Frabjous day. She saved us. Including him." Sadness seeped through his voice. "There was something special about her. It was something the Hatter very much admired, but she took her leave from this world."

I frowned. Things made a bit more sense now. He had sewn the dress for this Alice. He made it for her. I thought back to my neighbor, the nice girl named Alice. Perhaps she was as sweet as the one who came to Underland. If she was, I could see how the Hatter had been taken by her.

However, it was a strange thing to imagine. A man like him, falling for someone? He seemed distant and not completely there. How could he love someone in that way? There was a softer side to him that was very evident, but also a side that I was a bit nervous to offend. Yet, it was too late. I had already worn his Alice's dress.

~.~.~.~.~

It wasn't long before the dull landscape turned into something magnificent. 'Right over this hill' had turned into, 'right over this hill is a place you could never imagine in your wildest dreams'. After sleepily hanging my head, I lifted my eyes to discover a miracle. "There's the castle," Bayard said with a smile. "That is where we live and where you will meet the Queen."

I gasped at the sight of it. In front of us stood tall, surrounding mountains. They were covered in beautiful, rich green trees with waterfalls spilling through them. In the middle stood a gleaming white castle big enough to hold a town. My eyes sparkled as the fading sunlight casted a golden glow over the palace. "It's beautiful," I said breathlessly. "It's like a dream… It's better than a dream."

"Do you think it's a dream?" The Hatter asked suddenly.

"It's not out of the options."

His face tightened. "Then it will happen again. When you return, you won't remember." I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I didn't pay much attention. Things were unsteady in my mind. I was too distracted by the luminous castle before my eyes to focus.

"Come, come!" I said with a skip in my step. "I'm tired, but I want to get there before the moon rises. Or, should I say 'the cat'?"

I didn't need to be led anymore. I knew where I was heading and I was anxious to get there. My path was towards the pink cherry blossoms; right by the main entrance. I could see people ahead who were out for a stroll before the sun faded. I heard laughter not too far off. The place was happy, that was obvious. Would I dampen their spirits? Would I be shunned and casted off? I wondered if they knew I was from a different place and that the dress I was wearing wasn't mine.

I was certain they would dislike me if they knew it was Alice's.

Whoever she was.

I felt a sort of sensation occur to me as the rocky road suddenly turned into tile, forming a patio outside of the castle. My eyes stared up at the intricate white building in front of me. Was it made of marble or stone? Either way, it heavily magical and very beautiful, like a perfectly sculptured wedding cake.

The people I heard talking a few feet away suddenly stopped to look at me. They were identical, both big and bulbous and both perfectly round like eggs. Looking at them made my stomach rumble with the distant memory of food. "Who's she?" I heard one whisper to the other as we all shared eye contact. "Dunno," the other replied. "She looks kind of evil."

They must have taken notice of my thick, black hair. As long as they called me anything but a raven, I was content.

"Hatter!" The twins shouted, giving him a quick wave. The Hatter smiled back and returned the friendly gesture.

"These are Tweedledee and Tweedledum," Hatter said to me with a smile. He was suddenly back to his pleasant nature. His attitude changes were obviously something I would have to get used to. "They've very good friends of ours." His grin shined on as the boys shoved each other in order to reach me.

"Nice to meet you!" A boy, one I couldn't establish as Dee or Dum, said to me. He didn't waste a second to grab my hand and kiss the top of it. The other followed suit. "Yes, very lovely to meet you… Miss…"

"Maggie," I said quickly. "You can call me Maggie, though my real name is Madeline." I tucked my ankle behind the other, curtsying towards them. They gasped, shocked by my formal greeting. "You must work for the Queen?"

"Work?" One said in confusion. "For the Queen?" The other replied. They both shook their heads.

"The Queen has no required workers," Bayard said. "However, we do our best to please her out of respect." He nodded towards me as he headed closer towards the castle doors. "I should go let her know of our arrival. She is expecting you." Without another word, Bayard turned his head and ran inside as a pair of silver knights opened the doors for him. In a blink, he disappeared within.

I think I was the only uncomfortable one, because I couldn't establish which boy was which and I was too afraid to speak with the Hatter out of fear of his Scottish accent coming out. So instead, I brushed my toe along the smooth tile below my feet. With a swirl of my leg, I spun myself around breezily on the floor, just as I had in my Uncle's house. A small song began to play in my head and not long afterwards it began to resonate through my throat into a small hum.

Carefully, I moved one foot in front of the other, sending my legs slowly behind me in a form of unperfected ballet. I had taken a few classes, but had given it up because of the other girls, namely Ann who continued to pester me during our lessons. Quietly, I continued to hum my song as my eyes closed in the rush of the moment.

"What's she doing?" I heard one of the boys whisper to one another. "Dunno," the other said. One of them erupted into a fit of giggles. "Hey, she's kind of like you, Hatter! Seems like it's sort of hard for her to do one thing at a time."

"That's the beauty of the mind," I answered with my eyes still shut and my body still dancing. "It can go and do whatever it pleases without your brain even telling it to."

Slowly, I stopped dancing. My eyes cracked open and I was surprised to discover the moon's sudden appearance. The twins gave me a warm smile; ones that made me certain that we would get along. The Hatter smiled with an obvious smirk of approval. His teeth weren't showing, but his brightly color lips popped out in the darkness. I couldn't resist smiling back.

Bayard suddenly appeared again at the threshold, capturing my attention. When the others saw me looking, they turned their heads. "The Queen is ready for you."


	7. White Walls, Black Brows & Purple Paint

**Hello! I didn't think anyone was actually reading this story. There were no reviews for the longest time, so I figured no need to update. But thank you so much BakaSatsumi and FirstLadyLestat for the comments, because you inspired me to get it going again. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter, and there will be more updates to come. Sorry for the delay! Please comment and favorite and all that stuff! :D**

**~Mistro~**

~.~.~.~.~

If you have learned anything about me during this story, you probably realized by now that I don't do well with company. I can barely stand to be around my parents because of their love-less, controlling ways. Upon realization that I was meeting a Queen, one who ruled thousands, you can guess that my stomach was more than upset. I felt beads of sweat suddenly rupture from my hands, the clammy feeling disgusting me. I knew I had no choice, so I merely nodded, and headed indoors.

Dee and Dum watched me walk in with obnoxious smiles plastered on their faces. They were obviously very excited about this, so I tried my best to stand tall before completely shrivelling up. I think it ended up looking as though I was in a state of pain. They didn't seem to care.

Hatter followed me in with a goofy grin painted on his face. Why was everyone so excited? What was so magnificent about this Queen? Sure, England had one. But she was merely a figurehead. After hearing about the Red Queen, I wondered how any Queen in Underland land could be good.

Bayard rushed inside with his tail wagging swiftly. I tried to calm my nerves. If everyone else was thrilled, why shouldn't I be? My eyes scanned the walls carefully, taking in the scenery in an attempt to calm my nerves. Everything was white. _Everything._ The ceilings had to be fifty feet tall with pillars holding up the center. Tables with beautiful rococo decorations were neatly adorned with white roses in the center. There were no portraits to praise, instead everything was gothic and white. I sighed to myself, secretly depressed. White was the most difficult color of paint.

"You should be very excited!" I heard the Hatter whisper in my ear. I looked over my shoulder as my face scrunched in discomfort. "I can tell that you're very nervous." He was unafraid to laugh at my hesitation. "Excuse me, but it's very odd to think someone would be nervous for the White Queen."

"How is that humorous?" I mumbled to myself, avoiding his gaze as he stepped closer towards me. "She is a Queen. She has all the power she wishes since you seem to have no parliament. That kind of authority is a bit intimidating to someone like me."

"Someone like you?"

"A foreigner," I muttered. "An outsider."

Hatter's smile dissolved instantly. His eyes were not angry, but they held gloom within them. My words seemed to taint his joy. "I thought you were fitting in quite nicely. I thought you were enjoying Underland."

I raised a brow slowly. I knew he was odd, but I didn't expect him to be ignorant. "I_ am_ enjoying myself… as much as I can at this point. However, that doesn't change the fact that I am not from here." Hatter still looked confused. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks; small bits of anger turning into red spots on my face. "If you don't come from a certain place, you're _always _an outsider."

Hatter shook his head quickly. "It's most interesting that you think that way, Maggie," he flashed me a quick smile as he spoke my name. "Here, if you fit in, you're one of us. There are no rules or laws like you seem to have. What's the point?" He shrugged, tossing his hands out at his sides. I wanted to respond wittily, but I found myself actually having nothing to say. Their lifestyle was different, but maybe it was better that way.

"I see," I mumbled. "Thank you."

Neither of us could continue our conversation (which was good on my part, since I began to find myself a bit uncomfortable and confused), because Bayard stopped us outside of two triangular doors. Naturally, they were white. He looked back at us for a moment before the doors creaked open. He didn't need to say anything. We both knew where we were headed.

As the doors split before my eyes, it was like a whole new world was being opened before me. The creaking sound filled my ears momentarily until Heaven's alter displayed itself before me. I stood in a large doorframe, staring at a glittering silver hall. The floors were marble and the pillars too. The throne was beautiful and jewelled as bits of moonlight bounced from it's shiny surface. Roses were laced around the room, their white curves chilling my bones. I stared in disbelief; my fear melting into an inward pool of sensation.

Two sly fingers made their way under my chin, clasping my gaping mouth shut. I looked over to see Hatter with his cold fingers pressing my dropped jaw back into place. He smiled widely before sliding away. I hadn't even realized that my shock led me to such an expression. Upon this realization, I began to straighten myself out. My fingers found their way messily through my hair. They attempted to smooth my stolen dress before anyone could see how badly I'd wrinkled it. "Stupid…thing," I mumbled as I tried to flatten a large crease.

"Sometimes, tattered and worn things make them seem much lovelier, don't you think? Much more special? Worn and loved?"

I stopped moving instantly. That voice. It was like honey. Every single world dripped like the sweet liquid from the pillars surrounding the room. I slowly managed to lift my head, afraid of whom I knew would be standing before me. When I let myself take her in my vision, my body released an easy sigh. Things suddenly got easier.

The woman was not intimidating like I had expected. Her eyebrows, thick and black, could be mistaken as frightening, but they somehow complimented her pale body. She smiled at me behind black lips; her teeth were even whiter than the moonlight. Her snowy hands stretched their way out towards me delicately. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you." She whispered so just the two of us heard.

I stared at her fingers in mine. In England, didn't they kiss it? My mother made me do that to guests who would come over. That was until I stopped making appearances at all. Mother never complained about my absence.

It was all I knew, so I slowly bent down and kissed the flesh of her hand, hoping I had done the right thing. The Queen offered no complaints and I allowed myself another needed sigh.

"Tell me your name, Maggie March," The Queen said with a wave of her hand. I found the gesture overdramatic. Obviously, it was ironic considering she already knew who I was, but I was beyond questioning things in that place.

"Maggie March, is... clearly my name," I said with a curtsey fit enough for a Queen. It was the only good I ever took out of secondary school. "You've heard correctly, though my name is Madeline. I ask that you do not call me that."

"And tell me your story, _Maggie_ March."

My story? I found my story rather dull. The only thing I knew to be interesting in my life was my very own mind and I was certain she didn't want to take a peek into that. "There is no story to be told. I was enjoying the outdoors with my brother and managed to fall into a mysterious rabbit hole. It took me here, where I met McTwisp, the dormouse, a very large, disappearing cat, Hatter, Bayard, Dee and Dum and now you. It's all very overwhelming for a mere two days."

"Yes, I heard you slept in the swamp land!" She gasped, dramatically putting her fingers to her bottom lip. It wasn't as awful as it sounded, but I wasn't about to ruin her fun by telling her. "How horrid. Absolutely dreadful. You will stay in the tower tonight, and as long as you wish. The bed is all yours and you may do whatever you like with the room."

The offer was extremely kind. Of course, I wanted to get out of Underland as soon as possible, but sleep sounded fantastic. The thought of it made my eyelids feel heavy and I found myself slumping over with the simple suggestion.

"My dear, you look so tired as it is," she gently placed her fingertips to my cheek, hoisting my head up. "You must get some rest. We will talk another time; I will make sure of it. Until then, do you have any requests?" She flashed her pearly teeth once again. I shook my head and thanked her. Sleep was all I really needed. "Then sleep it is!" She laughed, calling Hatter over. "Tarrant here will take you to your room at the top of the tower. Please try and get some sleep. You have a very big day tomorrow."

I tried to ask what she meant by that, but Hatter had already begun to pull me away. "Wait!" I called out to him as he headed towards the door. "I don't even get to say goodnight? What if I decide that I have a request?"

"Shout it out your window, of course!" He chuckled as the doors slammed behind us. He was pulling me along towards a large spiral staircase. "Someone is bound to hear you and pass the message along."

Why did that answer not surprise me? "Well, she's very lovely," I finally said, still struggling to keep up with him. "I can see why you're not intimidated." He flashed a smile at me, nodding his head. He was obviously bewitched by his beautiful Queen. That was understandable, but somehow the thought made me uneasy. I pushed it aside, staring down at the marble steps we were now ascending. "Tell me, why are we going so fast?"

The Hatter stopped suddenly in his place, his large green eyes staring down at me with that tinge of sadness. "I figured since you were tired…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "… we must get there _straight away_." He paused, allowing himself to laugh. "Although, I suppose this isn't the _straightest_ way to get there!" He enjoyed his joke as he giggled a bit more.

"Thank you for being so considerate," I laughed, grabbing his arm and pulling _him_ up the stairs. "Now come on! I'm ready to see this room!"

~.~.~.~.~

Of course it was magnificent. Who would have thought otherwise? The walls were a lilac sort of color; one that I found both soothing and romantic at the same time. I smiled widely at the huge, down-feathered bed. Blue and purple flowers were sewn into the sheets, giving it the look as though they were real and blooming on my very blankets. A small writing desk was placed between my two ceiling-length windows. A quill pen and some paper were strewn across them, along with a little vial of perfume. There was a place for my clothes as well as a washroom. Nothing, I thought, could be more perfect. "Why, it's like my very own hotel!" It was _much_ better than a hotel.

"Do you think you will be comfortable here?"

"I _know_ I will be," I said softly, allowing myself to fall backwards onto my bed. "If I wasn't, I would never be comfortable anywhere in my entire life. This is perfect." I wanted to thank the Queen for being so welcoming. I was obviously an outsider, no matter what anyone said. Yet, I wasn't being treated like one. If anything, I felt like royalty. As I shut my eyes, a lavender scent overwhelmed my senses. _Thank you, _I thought, to no one in particular.

"Tomorrow, I'll wake you!" The Hatter announced as I began to drift into sleep. "I shall make you new clothes as well." He clapped his hands lightly together, obviously excited by this. "They will be all kinds of colors. Blues, reds, purples, yellows, gr-"

"No yellows," I said quickly, sitting up straight in my bed. He looked appalled for a moment, but I tried quickly to explain. "I've never liked the color yellow. It does not go well with my memories."

"But, your hair is black!" He laughed. "Black hair and yellow clothing always go best."

That was a debatable topic, but nevertheless I kept up my argument firmly. "It's merely a request," I sighed. "Yellow does not suit me. If you decide to make me a yellow dress, I cannot promise you that I'll wear it." The Hatter seemed to take this into consideration before nodding his head firmly. "I would tell you that you didn't have to make me anything, but I have a feeling you'd decline." I offered a smile towards him; a gesture that was increasing with every minute I spent by his side.

He smiled in unison, nodding his head. "Miss March, you're figuring me out already."


	8. The Mission

**Hello everyone! Thanks for the reviews, and I hope you're all enjoying the story. :] Please review, comment, favorite, hate, whatever it is you do with this story, and have a LOVELY day!**

**Infinite X's and O's,**

**Mistro~**

~.~.~.~.~.~

The mornings in Underland were not like mornings in England. I had no clock in my room, so I had no idea what time it was when I finally cracked open my eyes. As they lazily opened, I noticed the sun glittering in from the tall windows lining my bedside. As I sat up in my bed, I could see waterfalls from my balcony; a view anyone would die for.

Surprisingly, I was not tired. My legs felt strong from the long hike and my eyes were far from droopy. I hauled myself from my bed to make my way outside. What smelled like a spring breeze hit me, causing me to shut my eyes in bliss. It was the smell of roses, vanilla and evergreen in a perfect combination.

"I could get used to this," I laughed to myself. My hands held the iron railing of my balcony as my body leaned curiously over it. The drop down was extremely far, but I felt more than safe. I could see other rooms and ledges below me. What kind of creatures lived there? My thoughts took me many places and for a long while, I forgot that it was all a silly dream. I couldn't lie to myself, however. It was a _very_ fine dream.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

My head snapped around instantly at the sound. I wasn't expecting company and though I wasn't dressed properly, I wasn't much for appearance. I glided over to the door and pulled it open. "Good morning Dee and Dum," I said with a polite grin, unafraid to show my sudden surprise.

Their tall nature never ceased to shock me; considering they seemed so youthful. "Morning!" One said. "The Queen has invited you for lunch," the other responded.

"Lunch?" I laughed, feeling my cheeks grow hot. "Have I been sleeping that long?"

They nodded in unison. "Don't let it bother you. It's not like you've given your entire day up."

"Oh, certainly not!" The other replied. "People say that sometimes, but there are as many hours in a day that you want there to be. And if you want to spend them on sleeping…"

"… That's really no problem for us!" They finished together.

My mother and father were always the ones to say that a day is wasted if not woken before nine o' clock. Well, these gentlemen certainly had other opinions. They were opinions I fancied, no doubt. I liked their way of thinking, considering I never got much sleep at all. "That's a fantastic viewpoint," I chuckled. "I'll get ready and meet you downstairs."

"Oh hey! Give it to her!" One nudged the other. "Oh, right!" He chuckled and handed me a box. "It's from the hatter," he said. "Made it just for you last night."

I proceeded to take the box with caution. It wasn't often that I received gifts; if I did they were mainly from my brother. The thought of him made my heart hurt, as I missed him dearly, but I pushed him away for the time. I was having too much fun in that magical place to think about him so quickly. "Tell him I said thank you," I grinned, drumming my excited fingers along the edges of the box.

"He'll still be at breakfast! He takes a _long_ time to drink his morning tea. You'll be able to tell him yourself!"

I smiled and thanked them once more before I was left alone. I sat down on my bed, feeling extra nervous about the possession I held in my hand. What if it was brilliant and I had no way to repay him but a mere 'thank you'? What if it was hideous? I couldn't _not _wear it. My parents might have said I was rude, but I didn't think I was _that_ rude.

Slowly, my fingers slid under the purple and orange checkered lid. It was clearly a hat box. I was just afraid to see what kind of headdress it contained. I shut my eyes and flung off the lid, rather dramatically, fearful of what lied inside.

My eyes grew wide at the first sight. It was like true love; hitting me in the gut like a brick and knocking me breathless with its glory. At least, that's what I always imagined true love to be like. "It's beautiful," I whispered to myself. Like a hungry animal, I tore it from the box and held it up to the light so I could see it better.

It was similar to a sun hat that one would wear on the beach. I remember my mother pointing one out on a summer's trip to London. I believe she had called it a 'poke-style' hat. It was tall in order for one to look more sophisticated. In England they were decorated with flowers and often made from straw. But, not this one. The Hatter had personalized it all on his own.

It was in the same form as a poke style hat, but its straw material was made from a thick, felt-like fabric. It's glowing, white exterior made the yellow and purple flowers on the edge between the top and the brim pop out. A purple ribbon was wrapped around the border, tumbling down into what seemed like a silk waterfall. My black hair would no doubt blend perfectly with it.

I couldn't refrain myself from smiling. Yes, I had said no yellow. But, I could make do.

I stared down at my dress, noting with some distress that the color combination did not suite well. My purple and green clothes did not match the extravagance of the headwear and I slowly set it down on my bed, pondering what was to be done. The people in Underworld seemed different enough. Would they really care if my colors didn't match? I thought back to the Hatter's outfit. Of course they wouldn't.

I did feel a bit unclean, however. I made my way over to the dresser, hoping that there might be something inside that could cure me of my problem. I didn't _expect_ there to be anything in there. It was the morning and I was a bit out of it, so I figured, _w__hy not give it a try? _But when I grasped the gold, swirled handles and pulled them open, I was more than shocked to see them filled.

"What?" I questioned aloud, holding up an orange dress. "These weren't here last night!"

My thoughts took me back to the Hatter's last conversation. He had said he would fashion me clothes that evening and have them ready for me today. Were these the swiftly made gifts? He must have lost hours of sleep creating them. I checked through all four drawers, excited to see that every single one was stuffed. One with dresses, one with shoes, one with trousers and blouses and one with more dresses.

No one had ever done such a sweet thing for me before. I smiled as I rummaged through each stack. Each was prettier than the last. There was not one lovely dress that would match my hat, but several. I was debating with myself, trying to decide which to wear. I finally narrowed it down to two, holding each one up before me.

My eyes scanned each fabric delicately. Which would I decide? For once in my life, I was starting to feel like a real _girl_. Not once had I cared about dresses. Now, things were different. They were mine; made especially for me. And not because I ordered them. But, because someone wanted to.

And that made all the difference in the world.

~.~.~.~.~

I rushed down the long, spiral staircase, not exactly sure of where I was going. The magnificent sun seemed to follow me to the bottom of the stairs where it shown through more stain glass windows. My purple ballerina shoes (which had taken me quite some time to decide) clopped nicely against the cool floor.

I began walking towards the throne room where I could hear voices erupting from a creak in the door. The scent of cinnamon and hearty food was filling my noise, and the growing hunger made itself known with a growl.

The unmistakable voice of Hatter and the Queen could be heard just outside of the doors. My fingers rested lightly against the frame. What if they thought I looked ridiculous? What if they had decided they wanted to send me away? It would take an thunderous ocean's waves to knock the joy out of me.

There was only one way to find out.

A bit more firmly, I pressed open the doors with my both of my palms. They didn't fail to groan and creak as loud as they could, naturally capturing everyone's attention. I saw multiple heads turn towards me, their mouths sealed shut in what felt like shock.

"Miss March!" The Queen, at the head of the ridiculously long table, said to me as she held up her glass. "How good of you to join us!"

I noted the table's length. The only people steated were the Queen, Hatter and the dormouse. I glanced at a clock to see how late I was, but the clock didn't have numbers. It was filled with strange pictures and six hands. I shrugged. Time had little relevance anymore.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," I muttered, stepping further inside the room. "I was having a bit of a dilemma about what to wear." With a smile, I glanced quickly at the Hatter. His mouth spread into an uneasy beam as his eyes gazed over my fashion choice.

"That's not a problem." The Queen spoke with a genuine grin. "You look magnificent."

Underneath my fingers, I could feel the yellow dress hanging loosely around my legs. It was simple and elegant as it hung to my knees. My shoulders were covered by rounded sleeves as a purple sash made its way along my waist. I loved it the moment I saw it.

Despite its color.

"Yes…" The Hatter said more slowly. "Magnificent!" He raised his tea cup above his head, managing to toss some in the air. The dormouse shrieked in surprise, quickly climbing up onto his hat and catching the falling tea in her own cup before it ruined the white tablecloth. They giggled at their trick, obviously caught up in the moment.

"Please!" the Queen said, gesturing to a seat beside her. "Come and sit next to Tarrant." She gestured towards the Hatter, and I found myself struck down by the fact that I had forgotten to ask for his true name. "You must be starving and we have much to discuss."

I nodded, joining her at the table. I was furiously hungry and the smell of the food was beginning to drive me mad. I picked up a roll, not even waiting for the 'okay'. No one spoke as they watched me devour my lunch, but I could sense a sour look on the Queen's face. "Darling," she laughed uncomfortably. "If you ever need food, do not be afraid to ask."

I lifted my head quickly, already forgetting I was in the presence of royalty. I swallowed what was left of my roll and managed to crack a smile. "I'm sorry. My mother feeds me when she thinks I should eat. It's not the same here. I'm not used to it."

Her face dropped quickly into a frown as she tossed another roll on my plate. "What a horrible thing to do." She leaned forward, whispering mischievously to me. "You can eat wherever, whenever, and however you wish to in this palace. And _with_ whomever you choose."

"Except the Queen," the dormouse said, hoping down in front of me. "When she says to join her, you'll join her." Her eyebrows narrowed angrily. As if I even _dared_ to defy the Queen's wishes. Of course, the dormouse expected me to, as she clearly held a very little amount of respect for me.

"Now, now," the Queen said gently. "I said she can eat with whomever she wishes."

"Of course I would wish to dine with you," I said quickly. "You're the nicest Queen I've ever met." I failed to leave out; _the only Queen I've ever met. _

She seemed taken by this as her pale cheeks began to flush. "What a charming thing to say!" Dramatically, she swooped a long strand of hair behind her ear, flashing those perfect teeth once again. "You are very sweet, Miss March, and you are welcome to dine with us any time you like."

"Sweet?" The dormouse shouted, obviously taken aback by this compliment. "Far from it! She-" Tarrant quickly snatched the dormouse in his hands, tucking her in his pocket with a final pat to her tiny skull. She folded her furry arms over her pink dress and burrowed herself further into his clothes.

"She's right," I admitted softly. "I wasn't entirely kind when I first arrived. My mind told me that none of what I was feeling could be real. But, if this is a dream, I'm starting to like it."

Everyone's face fell at the mention of 'dream'. "I see," the Queen said monotonously. "You think this is a dream. Very well; I will not try and change your mind."

There was a bit of silence after that; all of us were unsure of how to turn the awkward situation around. The Queen would nervously smile at me as I continued to eat. We all wished I hadn't said what I had said. Even me. _From this moment on, _I thought gloomily to myself. _I am limiting myself to the mention of dreams._

"I'm sorry." The silence as too much to handle. "You said we had many things to talk about today. I was rather hoping to hear what they were."

"Oh yes!" The Queen gasped, daintily putting her fingers over her dark lips. "How could it have slipped my mind?"

"I would say the same, but I often find things are frequently slipping my mind…" The Hatter chuckled, cracking a nut between his teeth.

"There is a certain mission that we have for you, Miss March, if you feel you are up to it." I could sense the anxiety in her Majesty's voice, but I could honestly say I had no idea what she had to ask of me. I had only just gotten there. Did she wish for me to perform for the palace? A new jester? I began to sweat, realizing that I knew no tricks. "There is someone we would like you to meet."

"Well, not _meet_." The Hatter said quickly, followed by an edgy laugh. "Rather, _see_."

"_See_, yes," she chuckled as well. "If you met them, I'm not sure how well you'd get along." I frowned, still not knowing where this was going. "You seem to get along with Tarrant and Bayard. You will be accompanying them, if you wish, on this mission and will be back in a week's time."

A week? Could this dream really take me a week further? Or was it a matter of mere hours in my world? I didn't know the answer, but I also didn't know _who_ she was talking about. "Before I agree," I said hesitantly. "May I ask who it is you're talking about?"

The Hatter, the dormouse, and the Queen all exchanged slow glances. It did not take long for the group of them to focus back on me, each of their gazes practically burning my bare flesh. It felt like forever until the Queen finally spoke.

"My sister Iracebeth. Also known as… the Red Queen."


	9. Reality's Deeds

**Wow, so it's been a REALLY long time since I've updated. Far too long. I don't think I have a very good reasoning behind it either, so I probably shouldn't say anything that could make it worse. **

**Some people (MadTeaLady) inspired me to get it going again.**

**I hope you're still out there… maybe? **

**Hello?**

**~Mistro~**

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"Every single day!" She screeched at the top of her lungs. "You can't just leave me alone, can you?" The woman was very far from happy. She wanted away from her Knave more than anything. He had betrayed her. The one thing she hated above all else was one who betrayed. Even more than Alice.

"Iracebeth," the man started to speak. He was cut off by an icy glare. "_Your majesty,_" he corrected. "We're stuck on this island for the rest of our lives, or so we were told. We ought to get along, don't you think? Who wants to spend their nights in the freezing cold, alone and forgotten?"

His words were tempting, but her determination was her best trait. "No," She pouted. "I don't want anything to do with you anymore. You're the last person in Underland that I want to be with." This was a bit of a stretch, considering she hated her sister, Mirana, more than anything. And that Alice girl. "Now, go away while I find some food!"

The Knave was not going to argue. He disliked the Red Queen as much as the next person, but somehow he ended up eternally by her side. There was no happiness in his gazes towards her, but he didn't want to feel bitter forever. He wanted someone at least to _talk _to.

He wanted someone mischevious to devise a plan with, and who better than her?

"Mother, what did I do to be stuck here?" His long legs fell onto the sand beneath his feet. His pale face lifted towards the sun as a heavy sigh was set free from his chapped lips. "What in Underland did I say that caused me to be with this miserable woman?"

"_What did you just call me?_" The squeak rang out from behind his head. He didn't even get a second to apologize before he felt something hit his cheek. Groaning, he looked to see a banana on the sandy floor. "Go away if I'm so miserable! Go to your other half of the island! This is _my_ side!" The angry Queen's fingers shook as she pointed towards the fruit. "There's plenty more where that came from!"

"Oh, would you be quiet?" His shout was furious as he lifted himself from the ground. "We're never going to get out of here if you don't at least _pretend _to be a decent person! Your sister wouldn't hurt a fly; she has sworn to it. She'll feel bad about leaving you out here sooner or later, and if you prove to be a decent person, she might bring you back faster!" Iracebeth grew quiet as she considered the possibility. "Don't you understand? It's all a game to them; a game they don't even know they're playing."

"For a Knave… you can be quite clever when you wish to be." The Queen's bulbous head cocked dramatically to the side. She flashed her pearly white teeth- the only thing she had in common with her sister- and scooted herself a bit closer towards her partner. "Do you have any ideas?"

He peered out from behind his mangy black hair. "You're the one with the big head. _You _think of something."

"Alright," she said defiantly. "I will think of an extraordinary plan. It will make you shiver in those tall boots of yours." He rolled his eyes. She wasn't smart enough. "I do think of something… then what?"

The Knave cracked a smile that would make any grown man whimper. The scar running up his face became deeper as he grinned.

"Then, we cut off her head."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I was being tugged down a tunnel, seemingly into hell. The walls were made from stone, and all were wet with an unknown liquid. We were still in the castle, but the magic was gone. It was the darkest place I had seen since the forest. And where we were headed? I didn't have the slightest clue. "Where does this lead?"

"Oh! Here, there and everywhere in between those two!" Tarrant laughed. His legs were long and quick; he was swift to find our way. "The others will already be waiting for us. We all know what to do, but since you've joined our party, you have some things to learn!" His laughter bounced off of the empty, curved walls. "Oh, I'm so thrilled you will be joining us."

"I don't understand why I'm being drug into this when I don't even know Underland's history. What information could I possibly offer you? How could I be of help when you don't even know me?"

"That's exactly the point! How will we know how useful you are unless you prove your strength? We must _get_ to know you." I thought this over in my head. It was a logical thought. "As for the history and nonsense, you'll hear about that later. Learning isn't important."

"But, you just said-"

"I'm a funny one, aren't I?" The Hatter turned his head back towards me, sending me a wink. In the dark space, he looked almost frightening. I kept calling the world a dream, but at points it seemed more like a nightmare.

"And, we're here!" His voice startled me as we approached thick, black doors. With a kick of his boot, the entrance flung open and displayed an unexpected scene. Three frogs, a white Knight, a man, and Dee and Dum all stood around a circular table. It let off an eerie, green glow that flowed over their faces like water under moonlight. The walls were bare and dark, leading into a nothingness that I was not prepared to imagine.

"Is this some kind of strategic planning room?" I asked.

"How clever of you to notice!" Hatter whispered in my ear. I was a bit startled to move, but a warm hand slipped itself into mine. Tarrant was dragging me towards the others. "Crew, this is Maggie March. Her real name is Madeline, but she doesn't appreciate being called that. Her appetite is large, and I was told she has a fondness for Skuttleberries. She has a distaste for the color yellow and is very smart when it comes to riddles."

_One certainly learns a lot about another in a measly day…_

"What he said is true," I laughed. They were all staring at me with seriousness, despite the casual talk. "I was informed that I was going to be taught something here today. I'm afraid I don't know much about all of this."

"You're going to be on our crew," the Knight spoke from behind his armor. "We're going to visit the Outlands of Underland. There is a peninsula in the NorthWestSouth region near the Frog Tribes." Once again, I wasn't going to bother asking what any of that meant. "There, the Red Queen and her Knave are stationed. We have to check in on them and make sure that they are not devising any plan."

The others nodded after his explination. It sounded easy enough, but one thought kept coming inside my head. "Yes, but what if they lie? I mean, they're not exactly good people as far as I've been told. They could be faking the fact that they're not devising anything."

No one spoke. No one moved. I knew I had said something wrong. The young man at the head of the table tried to speak, but it took a few minutes before actual words formed. "I'm sorry, I don't think we follow."

"Well, what if they put on a face for you?" I questioned. "They could be acting normal while behind your back they may be lying to you."

"There is no one in the Outlands except for them," the boy smirked. I could tell his smile was laced with annoyance. His black hair was swooped neatly in front of his eyes, but behind it I could see a fierce glare. Clearly, he did not enjoy being questioned by an outsider, as well as a woman. "They are monitored properly. They will not escape."

I didn't care to argue with him, mainly because he was probably right. This wasn't my land. I didn't know anything about their systems or these prisoners. "Very well," I smiled warmly. The last thing I wanted to do was create enemies. "When do we sail?"

"In two days time," a frog croaked. I noticed he was standing on two legs, and was abnormally large for the species. _How charming! Frogs are even lovelier up close. _"We need a day to prepare the ships. We take one day to get there and spend the day monitoring them. Afterwards, we had back and report their status to Her Majesty."

It seemed that there was nothing wrong with the prisoners. If they hadn't even prepared for a possible uprising, then surely things were well with the world. I glanced at the crew as the glowing light from the table lit up their faces. Shadows poked out from beneath their nose and under their eyes. It looked like the scenes in books were the soldiers were discussing secret battle plans beneath the houses. Things were being taken so seriously when I don't think they needed to be.

"Are you daydreaming again?" A voice whispered in my ear, though it was the only voice speaking. Everyone stared at me as the Hatter repeated his question. "You tend to do that a lot," he chuckled. "I notice because you scrunch up your eyebrows." He mocked my movements, still humored by the idea.

"Yes," I muttered. "I can't help but find this strange. I suppose I can't put my finger on what I will do to benefit this group. Clearly, you're all travellers and men of the sea. I know nothing about the waters, nor about this Red Queen and her Knave."

"Ah, but you _dream_ of adventures," another frog spoke. This one wore a sailor's hat, and obviously wore it with pride judging by its polished state. "And that is the greatest pioneer of the sea that we could ask for."

It was an odd thought, but I wasn't going to go against the Queen's wishes. If she wanted me on the trip, then I would follow her orders. She had given me a bed and food. Her friends had provided me with company and clothing. From the moment I met them a sense of loyalty washed over me; loyalty I had never felt for any of my elders back home. "Alright," I nodded. "I suppose I'd better get packing."

"Yes, but pack your bags for a different trip tomorrow," Tarrant muttered. I turned to ask him what he meant, but he had already left my side. He waltzed towards the twins, wrapping his arm around each of their shoulders. "The wicked Queen will wish a want to never wary while we watch!"

The others cheered merrily, tossing out their "Ayes!" and "Huzzahs!". My own smile was not yet visible, but I did feel one coming.

_This dream is far out of my control._

~.~.~.~.~.~

Tarrant and I spoke very little as we headed back towards the castle. His eyes were fixated on his shoes and his fingers no longer danced. My eyes couldn't help but be pulled towards him. He was so interesting to look at. The color of his skin, the patterns on his clothing, the curls in his hair… it was surreal. It was a costume gone too far, but all the more wonderful because of it.

"Are you admiring something in particular?" He asked softly, never lifting his eyes from the ground.

I was not startled that he had caught me. It would be hard not to with my fierce stare. "Nothing in particular, no," I answered. "You are very well put together, I think. You don't match and yet your colors flow. Your hair is magnificent."

He smiled. This was clearly a compliment for him.

"Can I ask if you're wearing makeup?" I had pondered it since we first locked eyes.

"Makeup?" His head turned towards me, and only then could I see the curiosity brimming over his eyes. "Do I look like I'm wearing makeup?" His tea-stained fingers touched his face gently. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you and answer that question with a _no_."

I shook my head as we headed for a staircase leading to the castle. "It's not a disappointment," I said very calmly. "I admire the way you look. You're not afraid to be different."

He raised his long eyebrows in surprise. My words were things he was clearly not used to. Every time I saw him in the corner of my eye, I thought he was a painting. And then he came to life.

To me, he was pure magic. He was a dream within a dream.

"You're words are highly flattering!" He smiled. "But, I must ask you a question now."

"I shall answer to the best of my ability."

"Have you been asked my riddle before? The writing desk riddle?"

"No," I smiled. "I just thought of a good enough answer."

"Well, what does that mean? What does that say about you? You were the only one who could answer it. In all of my years, none of the answers have been true. I'm not sure if yours _was_ correct, but you convinced me well enough."

"You'll just have to trust me," I shrugged. "Sometimes that's all a person can do."

He stared into my face for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he spoke. "I feel that is a good enough reason, and now I will ask you to tea." He pulled a small glass from his pocket; one that he clearly took everywhere and never washed. It was grey and bumpy and unfitting for a man of his character. "Will you join me?"

My British mouth longed for tea, and I kindly accepted the offer. He led me to a small courtyard near the waterfalls. White roses surrounded us with a few daisies sprinkled here and there. The floor beneath our feet was pure marble, and the fresh air hit you with the perfect temperature. Nearby, numerous birds sat on a nearby bench. They were chatting away in their own tongue, not minding our presence. "Don't mind them," he whispered as we sat down at a table. "They always gossip. Most of what they say is lies."

I tried to listen, but I could only hear the sound of chirping. My smile grew even wider, because it didn't shock me that the Hatter understood them. "This place gets odder with each passing day."

"Do you think we're odd?" He questioned. "I've often tried to describe such a word, but I can never properly think of a definition. The word 'odd' is odd."

"Well, I think it's something that is out of the ordinary. This world is not normal." The Hatter's face twisted to one of dismay. He was clearly baffled by my word. "You know what that means, don't you? Ordinary? Normal?"

He shook his head quietly and raised his cup to his lips. "I don't believe for a second that you do either."

The more I thought about it, the more correct he was. What was normal to me?_ I_ certainly wasn't normal. Nothing about my life was ordinary- ordinary lives had joy in them. Mine was all dull and depressing. Nothing was special about my family, just my brother. And he was only exceptional in my eyes. _My dear, dear brother. Do you miss me? Am I forgotten from your memory already?_

"Let's change the topic shall we?" I tried to stop my voice from shaking, but it was clear that it wasn't easy. The Hatter instantly noticed, and after a quick blink, a cup of tea appeared before me.

"Drink it," he leaned forward with a whisper. "It's sweet... like Skuttleberries."

My lips curled upwards. "My favorite." The smile that followed was genuine. We both drank our tea silently for a moment before a question popped into my mind. "Oh, Tarrant!" He jumped at the sound of his name. "You mentioned that I was going to be going on a trip before we take to the seas. Could you tell me where it was?"

His fingers drummed themselves on the tiled counter. His long nails sounded like little high heels that bitterly reminded me of my mother. "How could I forget? Silly me! I didn't even bother asking you. It's okay if you go though, right? You think you'll like it there?"

"You still haven't told me where."

"Aha! How could I forget?" He repeated, gently slapping his cheeks. "Silly me! I didn't even bother asking you! Would you like to join me on a short trip back to my village? We're under repair right now, but it's sure to be fun." His gap-toothed smile was wider than I had ever seen it. Clearly, he was thrilled for this trip. "I thought you might particularly enjoy it since you seem to admire your wardrobe. You see, we're all good with clothes back home… Hats in particular." He gestured towards his tall top hat, which was clearly something of great pride.

I couldn't even begin to imagine what his home looked like. Were his friends just like him? What about his family? Was he also an outcast? Judging by his excitement, he was just like the rest. Perhaps he was their leader.

All of these ideas were overflowing in my mind, and I couldn't resist the offer. "If I don't wake up before then, I would be honored to see your home."

"Wake up?" The Hatter asked. He laughed nervously before sipping more tea. "Yes, that's what you think. This is a dream. Coo-coo, coo-coo! The birdies say… _Wake up_!" He was laughing and sipping between each word. Something had traumatized him with my words, and I instantly regretted it.

"Tarrant," I snapped, placing my fingers on his arm. He instantly calmed down at my touch. The nearby birds fluttered away and things grew silent before I dared to speak again. "I said that I would love to go with you. Thank you so much for the invite."

"Wonderful," he said darkly as he stared past my head. "Then we'd better get ready."

~.~.~.~.~.~

**Thanks! Please review!**


	10. The Knight

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**-Mistro**

**~.~.~.~.~.~**

When I entered my room, the rucksack filled with clothes came as no surprise to me. Things were already packed. I was going and I felt as though I had little say in the matter. My eyes were fixated on the brown, leather bag placed perfectly on my floor. Though it was sealed shut, the questions in my mind were not. They were coming out one at a time, bothering me to the core.

_What on Earth am I doing here?_

_Why is everyone so colorful and so strange?_

_What will this Hatter village be like? _

_Do my parents even notice that I'm gone?_

All of these had to be pushed to the side. Clearly, whenever I finished this task of meeting Iracebeth, I could go back to England. My life of lazy days and paint would be returned to me. Though I expected the thought of my brushes to feel like bliss, I couldn't help but feel dread.

"Oh, Maggie?" A lenient voice called to me from my entryway. Mirana wagged her thin finger towards me as soon as our eyes met. "I want to speak to you about something before you leave with Mister Hightopp. Will you join me?"

Her words were so sickeningly sweet that I was duty-bound to oblige. "Of course," I replied politely. "I'll just get my things." After I tossed my new bag across my shoulder, we made our way into the long corridor. The hall was dark despite the early time on the clock. Candelabras lit the path with secrets yet to be discovered.

"Tell me, Miss March, are you enjoying your stay in Underland?" Her voice took me by surprise. As I glanced at her white figure in the darkness of the area, she seemed almost like a ghost. I swallowed my nerve in order to answer.

"I wouldn't say that it's _un_-enjoyable…" I tried my hardest to sound grateful.

"Things are certainly very different for you here, I gather. I understand that where you come from things are not as _peculiar _as they are in Underland."

"That is a fact I will not deny."

Her slow-moving fingers brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You must wonder how I know these things about your world. I confess; this is what I wished to speak to you about." The thought had briefly crossed my mind, but now I was looking forward to a more permanent answer. "Not too long ago, there was another girl here. She was very much like you, though her hair was golden like the sun and her skin was nearly as white as mine. You may have heard of her. Tarrant was quite fond of her; he considered himself her protector. In fact, we all did. Though, in the end, she was the one who saved us."

It was evident by the Queen's voice that this girl was a sent from God in their eyes. If they even had a God. "Does she come here frequently?" Personally, I would have liked to have seen who the mystery girl was.

"Oh, heavens, no!" The Queen laughed dramatically. "She was just as disorganized as you and refused to believe that our world was not her own dreams. When she finally accepted our world as reality, she was able to defeat my dreadful sister."

"Is she still here?" I asked as we reached the bottom of the staircase. "I mean, could I go and see her?"

"I'm afraid not," she sighed. "She left, though she loved this world with all of her heart. It was not the first time she had left us, but she had to go back to her real home. I know that you two share this similar home; your voices sound the same." The Queen's ruby lips spread across her smooth face. It was then that I noticed her age; she was very young, yet she had the mindset of a long-lived ruler. I felt worthless in her presence and even more so upon realization that another British girl saved all of Underland. Was I to live up to those standards?

"She seems much more marvelous than I," I confessed. "I know that I've said it before, but clearly this girl had a mission in your world. Even McTwisp said that she was a written destiny. Everyone expected her. Yet, what about me?" Agony was spilling from my mouth like an open wound. "This world is more beautiful than anything I could have ever dreamt up. I don't belong here. My thoughts are too blue and my body is too frail to fight off any beast or villainous Queen. I'm afraid you know this to be true. I can read it in your face, dear Queen."

The Queen defiantly shook her finger in between my eyes. "Those words will not be accepted in my castle." Her voice was strong. "No one falls down the rabbit hole without a purpose. You are different, Maggie March, and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, we encourage it here." She proudly spread open her arms, though we were the only ones in the empty lobby. "I wanted you to know that an adventure awaits you and that you should let go of your worries and welcome this place into your heart. You may learn something and I suspect we will learn something from you. We may not know why you are here at the present moment, but I believe we will soon enough."

Her words trickled through one of my ears. I expected them to flood out of the other like so many of my professors' had in school, but they stuck. Maybe she was right. Maybe I had to get over my own inhibitions before I could ever feel properly welcomed.

"Are your feet ready for travelling?" The lispy voice rang out from the stairway. Tarrant was descending the stairs just in time for our trip. He had no bag of his own, but new boots shimmered from his feet. "Just made these up this morning!" He gestured grandly to his shoes. "Brand new and perfect for walking!"

I was astounded by the speed in which they were made; the boots seemed sturdy and I couldn't help but feel envious. Their brown laces seemed to endlessly tie up towards his knees. I smirked as I wondered how long it took to lace them. "They're exquisite," I complimented. "They suit you very well."

Mirana held her face in marvel. "Oh, you've certainly outdone yourself this time, Hatter."

Tarrant was pleased with our thoughts, but was ready to break in his new shoes even more. Excitedly, he looped his arm through mine. I couldn't help but feel flustered by the sudden gesture, but had little time to express it as he began to pull me away. "Farewell, my Queen!" He waved behind his head. "We will return very shortly to prepare ourselves for the watch!"

"Be careful!" She warned. "The woods can still be dangerous in those parts when the moon is about to rise!" I wanted to ask what she was talking about, but it was too late. The doors were swinging shut behind us and her voice had already faded into the distance.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"How long does it take for one to get to the village?" The words fell lazily from my lips as the hot sun continued to beat down upon my back. I had no idea how my companion could stand the heat with his layers, but he seemed much less affected than I.

"Generally, depending on the right legs, it will take one an hour to get there. If you have eight feet it may take you twenty minutes!" I glanced down at my legs, wondering if they fit the criteria. "Oh, no worries," he reassured. "Your legs are perfect for village hopping."

I couldn't help but let another small laugh trickle from my lips. The Hatter had a way of making my smile creep out. Though I was pessimistic about much, I hadn't laughed or beamed that much in years. The village was calling us and I was getting anxious to discover it. Hatter's red head bobbed from side to side as he began to hum a light tune to himself. "What is it that you're singing?"

"Just a song from my village. It's very popular, though you must only sing it aloud with the others. Otherwise, it must be hummed. There is severe punishment for those who break the rules." His eyes began to grow distant. "For example, your thread will be snipped so short that it will tear at the slightest touch."

"I try not to sing or hum songs that I already know," I replied. "It always seems worse that way because then the songs never seen to leave your head. However, if you suddenly make one up, you're most likely not going to remember it."

The Hatter slowly turned his head towards me. His eyes began to relax and turn to the familiar emerald as we glanced at one another. "You're very smart, aren't you?"

"No," I mumbled. "I just over-think things. It's one of my many problems."

"Let me ask you this, Miss March. What happens when you hum a random song that ends up being very pretty? What happens when you _want _to remember a song?"

Never once had the thought occurred to me. I found myself at a loss of words and trapped in silence because of it. The Hatter merely smiled. We seemed to bounce off of one another with our riddles and answers.

In the state of stillness, I confessed that my eyes could not stop fixating themselves on him. There was nothing more fascinating placed before me in all my life. Even the disappearing cat was no match for Tarrant Hightopp. I couldn't stop wondering how his hair had become so orange. Even his_ fingers_ were oddly colored. "Do you mind me asking you a strange question?" I finally asked, when I thought I could not bare it any longer.

"By all means, ask as many strange questions as you like. It's the polite ones that irritate me." He skipped over a small turtle making its way across the road. "Look out, Mock Turtle! One of these days, you're going to get stepped on!"

The turtle only hobbled further into the road. Its head looked very similar to that of a cow, but its body was small and fragile. I was appalled by the sudden sight, but could not help finding it strangely beautiful. The Hatter did not share my epiphany and was angrily brushing off dust that had collected on his shoes. "What happened to make your hair so red?" I finally asked. "Did you parents have hair like yours?"

"Oh, no, of course not!" His cheery mood began to return. "Both of them had brown hair. Someone told me that I put too much mercury in my fur hats, but I highly doubt that was the case. Must've just happened with time! I believe hair color describes one's destiny."

I had heard about the mercury incidents in England. Mercury was a dangerous poison, and by the looks of Hatter's skin and hair, he had been caught in the issue. "So, are you a rarity in your village?"

"We are _all _rarities. I just happen to have the brightest hair." I was looking forward to discovering the truth of this for myself. "Well, what about you? Are you the only raven in your family?"

The nickname was beginning to catch on as I realized more similarities the bird and I shared. "My brother's hair is black." I could have continued. I could have told him about my past. My cruel parents. My wicked uncle. My solitude. It didn't seem proper. Instead, I let the ground read the stories in my eyes.

"Ah, but you are still the raven. You're the one who likes Skuttleberries, and the ravens of Underland love skuttleberries more than anything." All the more reason to keep the nickname. "I like ravens very much. I find them to be beautiful creatures."

Though I knew he was speaking about the bird, I couldn't help but feel a flutter make it's way through my stomach. My hands retreated to my gut as the imaginary bugs swarm about my insides. With the rise of the unforeseen emotion, I had begun to notice how tired my legs were becoming. "I think I just need to sit down for a moment." My weary limbs took me to a nearby tree stump. "Is it okay if we rest?"

Tarrant was quick to answer. "I don't think so." His eyes darted around the moonlit trees. "Like the Queen said, these parts are not always safe and I fear that we may have unwelcome visitors soon enough."

The sun had gone down without a wave goodbye. We were trapped in the coldness of the night. As Tarrant spoke, swirls of mist danced around his mouth. "You're right," I said shakily. "Perhaps it's best if we just keep on our path."

We began to head further down the road, but it didn't take long for me to stop again. The Hatter was beginning to stomp his feet heavily as he walked. The sound took me by surprise; perhaps he didn't feel good? "Are you alright?" I asked, though my question was ironic.

"Perfectly fine." His face twisted in perplexity. "What makes you ask?"

The thumping of feet was getting louder by the second. My attention snapped towards his shoes, but I was displeased to find that there were still as the breeze. Slowly, my fingers pointed towards his toes. "How are you making all of that noise without moving your feet?"

"I'm not making any noise. You're the one who was stomping, yes?"

I laughed to shake off my nerves. "No, I'm not a magician." Both of us caught our breath in the silence as the noise continued on. It was like the ticking of a clock. Nothing was slowing down the rhythmic beats. _Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. _If anything, they were getting closer. "Hightopp," I whispered as my eyes flickered shut. "When you said these woods were dangerous… _What_ exactly makes them so?"

_Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp._

"I'm going to give you an order." His smile was unfitting given the current situation. I wanted to scream at him; to tell him to wipe that grin from his face. His grinning, white face looked chilling in the nighttime. "I recommend that you head towards the trees… and climb."

"C-Climb?"

"Now!" He urged, shoving me off of the road. My feet were not as steady as Tarrant's, and I instantly had to regain my balance from my momentary stumble. As I rushed towards the woods, I could feel the moisture erupting from every pore on my body. I could feel my dress tearing itself against bushes.

_Who is chasing us? _

_Who _are_ they?_

My unsteady hands tried to find stubs on the tree, but it was no use. Tarrant was already halfway up his trunk, yet I struggled on the ground below. All I could do was suck in my gut and disappear behind its bark. I had never prayed much in my life, but I was doing it then. I was praying for this unexpected nightmare to vanish. I was praying for them to go away.

Whoever they were.

My eyes stared down the empty path. Any second now, faces would align with the boots. I was well hidden in the woods, but as the mist escaped my cold lips, I was fearful of them noticing. All I could do was hold my breath and cross my fingers.

_Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp._

Their faces were suddenly drowned in the moonlight. I could see what they were. I could see the bodies of my chasers.

They were _playing cards._

Not just any playing cards; playing cards with _spears_.

And they were angry. The looks on their faces were far from forgiving. They reminded me of so many people in my life: my parents, my uncle, and my 'friends' at school. I was fearful that they were heading towards Tarrant's village, but there was nothing we could do to stop them.

Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds rushed past me in a blur. They seemed endless as their heavy metal suits clinked like a song in the night. I never once thought that playing cards could be harmful, but that evening was a rude awakening.

"Funny things, aren't they?" Someone purred behind me. I nearly screamed in fear as the Cheshire cat appeared at my side. My hands rose to my mouth to stop any outbursts. "Didn't mean to frighten you," he laughed darkly. "I just couldn't help but notice the fear all over your face. It was too tempting to resist."

I tossed my hand out to smack him, but his fur dissolved at my touch. Once again, I was alone. The cards began to make their way out of the forest, and my whole body racked against itself in the quiet. "Who am I kidding?" I whispered aloud. "A dream? This is becoming a nightmare."

Two sturdy boots fell from the sky and landed at my side. The Hatter was smiling as though nothing had happened, but I couldn't quite strike up the power to be that jovial. "What's the matter?" His orange head cocked to the side. "It looks like you've seen a ghost."

It was all I could do not to fall over. My stumbling body grabbed the tree for support as I warningly looked into his eyes. "Considering it was a disappearing cat and demonic playing cards, I think a ghost seems pretty reasonable at the moment." Hatter did not seem to detect my irritation; he continued on with that plastered smile. "What _were_ those things? Why did they look so furious?"

A story twinkled behind Hatter's eyes, but he could not seem to find the proper words. "Perhaps that story is for another time, hm? We'd best save tales for later and move our _own_ tails towards the village."

All I really wanted was sleep at that point. Nothing sounded more delightful than a bed. Perhaps if my life were a nightmare, my dreams would be a bit kinder. Before we made our way quietly back onto the path, I glimpsed around the blue forest. The Cheshire cat was nowhere to be seen, but neither was the moon. The planet had fled from the scene; scared away by the pounding of feet.

~.~.~.~.~

The village was left untouched by the angry soldiers. They weren't looking for a fight tonight, though it was clear they were on the hunt for something. Hatter and I made it to the village safely in a mere twenty minutes. I cursed to myself. _Twenty minutes and we could have avoided my youthful heart attack._

Upon our approach, I had to pinch myself to make sure what I saw before me was real. Adorable wooden huts lined the insides of the forest. The buildings were connected in an array of sizes, styles and textures. Not many people were out due to the time, but one man came straight towards us with recognition.

"Tarrant Hightopp!" He laughed as he shook my companion's hand. His hair was as grey as grey could be and his beer belly stuck out proudly behind his orange suspenders. "It's so grand to see you again so soon! As you can tell by the looks of things, the roofs are coming along quite nicely!"

The Hatter was pleased with this as his child-like eyes scanned the huts. "Everything looks in tip-top shape!"

"Who is this lovely girl?" I was too entranced by the Grimm-like houses to realize the little man was speaking to me. It was only when Tarrant answered for me that I began to pay attention.

"This is my friend Maggie March. Maggie, this is Governor Gutbarge." I couldn't help but glance at his stomach. The name fit him well. "She's very smart! Believe it or not, she answered my riddle!" Gutbarge's eyes grew to the sides of his head. Was everyone going to be surprised by this?

"It's nice to meet you," I said calmly. He took my hand in his and gave it a strong squeeze, welcoming me to his town.

"Pleasure to have you here. We have so many talented citizens that look forward to meeting you." He tossed me a big gleam before we headed further down the town square. "Everyone specializes in something unique here, whether it be hats, shoes, belts, or even socks." I glanced down at my open slippers. Socks didn't sound too bad in the chill of the night. "Some of them are sitting around by the fire, and they would love to see you both. Come, come."

I hesitantly glanced up towards Tarrant. Did I really want to meet people? Did they really want to meet me? I was hardly a spectacle, and with my drooping eyelids, I doubted that I would be able to make great conversation. Naturally, he pushed me on. His glee was a disease. "We don't have many people with black hair here," Tarrant whispered. "They'll fancy you from the moment they see you. You won't even have to utter a peep!"

Three men sat around the fire, accompanied by a single lady. A handsome young man wore a complete façade of purple. Every inch of him was covered in plum from his waistcoat to his fingernails. The other two were a bit older and their lips were pinker than any lady's I had ever seen.

The woman was beyond magnificence. Her blonde hair fell down to her waist, tumbling in waves of pure gold. Her eyelashes were a powerful blue, though the rest of her slim body displayed a basic, red dress. She must have caught me staring, because a sudden wink was sent my way. I hoped the firelight hide the growing blush in my cheeks.

"Margot, August, Henry and Heinrich," Gutbarge introduced. "This is our new friend, Maggie March. She's a friend of Tarrant's."

"I like her hair." The voice fell slowly from the handsome boy's tongue, dripping from his smooth lips like honey. I knew him to be August, and his compliment did not go without a dance from my heart.

"I like your purple," I replied. He seemed astounded by my declaration, as though I was a circus animal and wasn't going to speak at all. It didn't take long for him to crack a half-smile in my direction.

"What brings her here, Hightopp?" One of the pink-lipped men asked. "Is she special to you?"

Not knowing exactly what he meant, I felt the heat rush into my face. Tarrant, however, did not seem to take the question as heavily as I did. "She is indeed! She's going to help with our watch."

"Ah, time for your ex-Queen check ups?" The other pink-lipped fellow laughed. "Do you really need another crew member? She's cooped up on that island without any way of escape. You'll only be there for an hour before you decide it wasn't worth the journey."

Tarrant's neon lips twisted into a dismal grimace. "No, no, we Maggie with us. Certainly we need her. The White Queen said we were to take her." Even Tarrant seemed to be second-guessing my importance.

"Her arms are much too thin for steering a ship," August mumbled. His velvet gloves scooped up my lanky limbs in his fingers. His pretty eyes scanned my pale body with no mercy in his gaze. "Bringing her might be a silly idea."

I felt like a rag doll being pinned to the wall for judgment. They spoke about me as if I was not there; their kind appearances suddenly seemed vicious. My enthusiasm fell numb like beaten animals at the circus. "Stop it," a soft voice minimalized the attacks. I glanced up to see Margot's blue lashes flickering towards me. "You're offending her. Clearly she's special. You can see it in her gaze. You can see it in the way Tarrant looks at her."

All three men inched closer towards me, staring into the pits of my blue eyes. "She does have a certain charm about her," August declared. "Perhaps I was wrong to judge so firmly."

"Perhaps you were," I muttered. "If one is so quick to judge another, perhaps he should look a bit more closely at his own personality."

August's youthful lips slid towards the sides of his face. "Impressive!" He clapped his gloved hands together. "She's certainly got a mind of her own, doesn't she? Forgive me, Miss March. I underestimated you." Somehow the boy reminded me of the youthful Captain at the castle. They were both quick to judge, very young and so horribly boisterous.

"Oh, it's fine," I mumbled. "I may be able to speak to you more properly in the morning when sleep has not escaped me quite so much. Then perhaps you won't view me as pathetically as you do."

"You're going to bed already?" Tarrant asked, quickly standing up. Discomfort flickered across his face. "They're not all bad. We just have a strange way of expressing our admiration," he whispered. "People here just have a knack for being honest. Sometimes we get upset about things when we don't mean to; our moods can be extreme."

"Yes, I can recall your anger quite well," I chuckled bleakly. Hatter's sad face did not disperse. Shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, I tried to think of a way to relax him. "I promise that they weren't bothering me. I just feel tired after today's trip and I think I need a comfortable pillow to soothe my nerves." He instantly understood and began to pull me away from the fire.

I thought that the place would be magical and bubbling over with light, dances, and beautiful greenery. Yet, the place was still growing. It needed work and it was clear that frustration was in the hearts of the townspeople. If the cards were still marching their way about the woods, how could anyone ever feel safe?

"This is where you'll be staying," Tarrant sang out merrily as we approached a blue wooden door. The cottage was very small, but it was perfect for one night's stay. All I wanted was the bed in the back corner of the central room. I thought I might be drooling as I slowly inched closer to it. "Thank you," I said as I turned to face him. "Will you be sleeping nearby?"

"Just next door. If you need anything, knock on the wall four times and I will be quick to respond. Though, I find myself wide awake in the late hours and I may be out for quite some time."

"I think I can manage," I smiled.

His abnormal grin dissipated into something much softer. The relaxed nature of his skin took me by surprise when I noticed he looked almost somber. I took a step closer to him to make sure he was not ill, but he instantly retreated towards the door. "Goodnight, Maggie." He sounded confused, but I could not chase him down. "I hope you sleep well. Remember... four knocks if you need something."

The door was slammed loudly in my face. It didn't take long for the silence to swallow me up. There was no energy in me to move from my bewildered spot. Most of the time I feared the dark; I knew it would bring hallucinations. Yet, as I glanced around my empty room with wood walls, high ceilings and knitted blankets, I felt at ease. Hatter would be right there if I was in trouble. He would be there if I screamed, or if I cried. He promised me that.

So many people had broken their promises to me.

He wouldn't.

Would he?

Putting my faith into a man who was hardly more than a stranger to me, I let myself become irrational. Sure, he was as odd as they came, but there was something strangely human about him. I could see it in his features; he wanted to be driven away from his awful memories. I had no idea what those memories held. I did not know about this girl he felt so strongly for, or just how his town had collapsed. I hoped that one day he would be comfortable to share, though I didn't blame him. He knew nothing of my life.

The thoughts I held were dwindled in importance as my body began to crumble with fatigue. The bed was softly calling my name.

_It's time for your dreams, Maggie. Good dreams. No more nightmares. I promise. _

My head softly hit the pillow. Its feathers molded around my head; the perfect blissful ending to my day. Before I tumbled down the rabbit hole of my dreams, my eyes caught a glimpse of the moon in the window. It was full and wide, like the eye of a friendly cat.

~.~.~.~.~.~

_Maggie stood in the doorway of a school hall. The walls were empty. The doors were all shut. No candles lit the pathway. She was dreadfully alone. _

_Her feet were small, as were her hands. There were no mirrors nearby, but Maggie knew she was a child again. She was afraid of everything in the corners of the night. She was afraid of the taunts, the faces, the eyes, and the slithering tongues. _

"_Maggie?" A voice cooed out towards her. "What are you doing standing all alone?" It was unrecognizable, but she knew of it's danger the second it uttered her name._

"_I'm… I'm fine," she whispered, shutting her eyes. "I'm just waiting for class to start."_

"_Oh, Maggie," the voice hissed. Shivers were sent spiraling down her spine. Her feet ached to move from their spot, but they were glued. They were glued like wings to a bird. There was no escape. "You're being awfully senseless, aren't you? There is no more school. It's summer time." The whole world was black. There was no summer._

"_You promised me no more nightmares," the little girl whispered sharply. "You promised me."_

_Laughter floated from down the hallway. It was barely audible at first, but it soon came flying into her face: loud and unforgiving. "Promises are for cowardly men with no hopes of returning. Promises are made by people who die young. You make promises, Maggie. You will die. You will die. Heads will fall."_

"_I won't," she squealed. Tears were falling down her pale face. "I won't!" The laughing grew with her sobs. She felt like she was drowning in her own tears, and to stop herself, she let out a long scream._

_As her wail erupted, birds began to fly towards her. They encircled her. They trapped her inside until her whole world was distorted. Everything was black._

_All that could be heard was the caw of a single raven._

I flung myself up from the bed. Beneath the sheets, my entire body was in a sweat. My hands flung to my throat to make sure I was able to breathe. Never had a dream been so real. Never in my life had I felt so alone. A dream within a dream was never a good sign, and more than anything I longed for England.

Fat tears brimmed the edges of eyes, and it did not take long for them to fall. Judging by the height of the moon, I had been sleeping for a few hours straight, which was the kindest sleep had been to me for years. Going back to sleep was always the _real _issue. I needed something to distract me. But I was utterly alone. All I had was my silent sobs. There was no Mother to comfort me. There was no Father to hold me in his arms. Just like in my dreams, and even in my life, there was no one to protect me.

My eyes jumped towards the wall on my right.

_Hatter. _

Would he answer my call? Would he be there if I asked? It was worth trying. Hurriedly, I pressed my knuckles up against the wall. "Just do it," I muttered towards myself. "If I wake him up, it was for a good reason."

_Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock._

Waiting for a response felt like waiting for the end of the world. My whole body was shaking; my ribs sore from the fear. My tear-stained face was beginning to dry as I begged for a single knock. _Just one_. One would be enough.

_Knock. Knock. _

The knocks were long and slow. A laugh escaped my lips and I felt more tears fall from my lashes. My forehead pressed itself against the wall. "Thank you," I whispered against the cold surface. "Thank you." For the first time, I felt truly safe. His presence made my bad thoughts tumble into hope.

It was a new feeling; a feeling that I hoped would stay.

~.~.~.~.~.~

**So, a nice, long chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it! It's the longest chapter I've posted in ages. So, I'd REALLY love to hear your thoughts!**

**Please?**

**Pretty please with sugar on top?**

**~Mistro~**


	11. Home

**Thank you for all of the reviews, everyone! I think that was the most reviews I got in a long time, so I highly appreciate it. :) **

**Please, do the same again and give me some feedback! Not much is happening now, but more adventure is to come…**

**~Mistro~**

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

The sun did not help to bring a smile to the exiled Queen's face. She could not find strength within her to take the pout off of her droopy, red lips. Her anger, she was told, was her loveliest asset. Certainly, it would have to be worn with the utmost dignity.

"It's cold," she snapped towards her weary companion. He only glared at her before returning his gaze back towards the horizon. "I _said _it's _cold_."

"Did you expect _me _to do something about it?" An audible gasp escaped Iracebeth's scowl. She raised her pale hand to smack her insulter's face, but he snatched her wrist before she got the best of him. "You're not a Queen anymore, are you?" He retorted with a bit of spit tossed her way. "I'm not going to give you my cape, or whatever it is that you want. Go burrow yourself a hole in the sand if you want to keep warm. You certainly wouldn't raise any argument from me."

Iracebeth said nothing. It was not unlike the Knave to defy her, but she tried to demean him in any way she could. Ever since she had lost her throne, he had been nothing but horrid to her. Secretly, she loved their little bickerments. It thrilled her that he was so headstrong. Though she did not show it, her admiration for him only grew with her flushed face.

Despite all this, her skinny arms hugged her bodice for warmth. "My clothes are all cut up since I've been here," she pouted. "That idiot of a sister won't send me any new ones."

"That's because you've been banished," he hissed. "She's not going to _send _you clothes. She's not going to send you anything!"

Iracebeth flung herself up from the ground in a fury. Her large head instantly turned the color of her hair as she stomped her bare feet around the island. "You told me they were coming soon! You said that he would be on his way! Make it happen, or I'll kill you when we escape!"

"He is on his way," the Knave said calmly as his eyes flickered shut in exasperation. He hated every inch of Iracebeth and he always had. Now that they were forever sealed together, he often wished for the warmth of a bloody sword. Through_ either_ of their chests. "It will take time. They will be here soon."

"Yes, but _how _soon?"

"Sooner than you can wrap your thick skull around, apparently."

Iracebeth was past her handling of his insensitivity. Like a child, she trudged her way into the forest. He had no idea where she was headed. She could have gone to get more fruit to toss at him. She might have gone to the other side of the island, or perhaps the top of the trees, if she wasn't afraid of getting her hands dirty. He didn't care a wink of where the deranged woman took herself. His upper lip twitched in repulse at the very thought of her. When he spoke, he was thankful that she was not there to hear his hostile words.

"I may be helping you off of this island now, but don't think for a second that your life won't go back to hell when we return."

~.~.~.~.~.~

Waking up the next morning was no easy feat. I hadn't seen a clock once since my trip to Underland, and there weren't any roosters there to open my bloodshot eyes. My mind and body was tired and terribly so. My pale body curled itself under feathered blankets and did not intend on coming out. If I hadn't been a hermit already, I certainly was one then.

The sunlight played hide and seek behind the few objects in the room. It was there one second, before it disappeared behind the arms of a nearby tree. When the sunlight hit the chair beside me, it looked like a soaring, lopsided creature of Underland. Though my eyes were watching the scene, my body had no intention to thrust itself into the warmth.

The only sounds that could be heard were the low breaths escaping my lips. I couldn't help but notice that my hut was the most similar place to home so far, and my heart began to ache because of it.

"Home…" I whispered against the cotton pillow. "What a funny word."

A few thoughts trickled through my mind, but they did not linger. There was the smell of pumpkin pie at Christmas and the rabbit chocolates at Easter. Thinking of how sweet McTwisp was when made of chocolate made me feel awful inside for all of the ears I had happily swallowed.

An image of my mother also came, albeit briefly. Her hair was more golden in my memories, but her stressed smile stayed the same. I hadn't ever seen her truly smile. Till the day I died, I figured that I would not see those pink lips hold a genuine grin.

_That's enough thinking for one day, Maggie._

I found myself crawling out of bed, as an attempt to pull myself away from the unsolicited memories. Lazily, my feet shuffled against the wooden floorboards and over to my rucksack. An orange dress smiled back at me, bitterly reminding me of the pumpkin pie I had just been trying to forget.

Things were still outside and I wondered if the village had abandoned itself. Hatter had certainly been generous about not waking me, perhaps because he knew of my late night. A smile crossed my face as I briefly recalled his two knocks. He did not know how much they were appreciated.

Then again, he might have known. He was a funny man in that respect.

The door was urging me to open it, and with hesitancy, I did its biding. The bright sun sprinkled down upon the green grass outside of my door; the same warmth finding its way over my pale skin.

"Good morning, Miss March," a familiar voice called out beside me. I turned my head to greet my speaker, but could not form an instant smile upon seeing his face.

"August. Did you need something?" My coldness was not without reason. The handsome boy was a condemnatory being, and I was not one to readily forgive. I believe he sensed the tension on my face and quickly rushed to relieve his faults.

"I do hope that you did not take my words last night too seriously." He approached the bottom of my staircase as he pleaded. "I must confess that we're honest creatures here, but we mean no harm. I rather like you, Miss March." He offered me his gloved hand, still decorated in the purple that he wore so well. "You must accept my apology."

"I might accept it, but you must know that it does not always come so easily." Though I had often tried to get rid of my inner bitterness, it was a characteristic that did not easily leave my side. Holding grudges was one of my fortes. Surely, that must have been worth something? "Have you seen Tarrant?"

"He's gone to the store to fetch some supplies for your trip." August dropped my hand gently. "Then he will certainly be getting ready for the festival."

Festival?

The very word was a token for illness. I could feel my face scrunching up into something ugly as I forced myself to get the dreaded words out. "Does this festival involve… dancing?" The toothy grin on August's face couldn't have displeased me more. Reader, you could stick a spear through my leg and have me cry less than if someone asked me to be their partner for the quadrille. "I'm afraid we'll have to be missing that. Surely, we have to be on our way."

August's face sunk to the ground. He was about to intercept when Tarrant displayed himself at the perfect moment. "The early raven gets the bird, doesn't she? You've been sleeping for five hours, Miss Maggie. You might not want to get into that sort of habit!"

"Five hours?" I smiled widely. "That seems far too short of a time. How long has it been, actually?"

"Well, it's been five hours since you knocked on my wall." The Hatter's words were slow. He was clearly confused by _my_ confusion, but his words didn't help my distress. Time was apparently irrelevant in Underland.

"Oh, don't bother trying to explain. I've decided that asking questions might just make me more bewildered than if I hadn't. The word _why_ is one that must be scratched from my dictionary for the time being."

He placed his hand on my shoulder with a definite nod. "I might have to agree with you on that."

We began to walk towards the center of the village in silence, leaving August to his own thoughts. My toes scuffed lazily against the long grass and it began to curl around my ankles like a snake. I knew I had to ask about the fête sooner or later. "Hatter, are we staying for a party? August informed me that there was to be a festival today and that you wished to attend it."

"There is a festival every day!" He shook his head as if that were common knowledge. I felt my cheeks beginning to burn. _Of course _there was a festival every day. How silly of me not to realize. "I suppose I wouldn't mind staying for it, now that you've mentioned the possibility…"

I cursed my curiosity. Life was always simpler when my pink lips were sealed.

"There is no argument from me if you _do _wish to leave," I encouraged. "I'm afraid I cannot dance and would possibly cause harm to many of my partners."

Hatter sat on a bench to let his lips purse a bit longer. He eyed me curiously from his seat, as though something on my face was out of order. "You danced the first day I met you."

"I danced alone," I corrected. "Dancing with a partner is completely different."

"I'm afraid we don't have much time," he said softly. Something about his hushed words made me fearful, and I took a step closer in alarm. "You see… The band is already warming up."

He was right. The nauseating sound of instruments tuning up began to fill my head. I was positive they had placed themselves directly behind me as a form of mockery. My shoulders crunched to my ears with distaste as the last, squeaky note rang out. It would only be seconds until they started playing. I was either going to stand there, or make a run for the woods.

I decided to go for the latter. My feet were beginning to slowly creep away from the scene, but Hatter's arms were much quicker. He began to shove me backwards and into the center of the grassy square. Before I knew it, thirty colorful people were forming two lines for their dance to begin. "Where did everyone come from?" No one could hear me over the quick fiddle tune that suddenly rang out.

A couple at the end began to spin quickly around one another. Their movements were too fast for me to keep up with, despite their beauty. The next couple soon followed, and it was then that I realized the opposite person was to be my partner. Knowing that Hatter was mine somehow did _not_ calm me. All he could focus on was his own pure joy. His hands eagerly reached out to me as our turn drew closer.

I couldn't reject him, could I?

Despite my resilient nature, I could not turn down those alarmingly green eyes. He had given me too much comfort to just toss him aside. So, I took his hands in mine and focused on the tempo. _Focus only on the tempo, Maggie. If you trip, your embarrassment will be the death of you._

I didn't even notice when my body was tugged down the aisle of people. Tarrant was pulling me, spinning me, and tapping his feet seemingly all at one time. No one's judging eyes were on us. They were all lost with their own partners. I felt laughter beginning to escape my lips, though I wasn't sure where it was coming from. _It must be something in the air, _I presumed. _Or just my nerves._

Tarrant was an excellent dancer, although their dance was much more energetic than anything I had ever witnessed. I tried my hardest to mimic his moves, but just when I was getting better, my body was pulled away. Tarrant disappeared behind a crowd of people, as my own body was carried off its feet. With a shriek, I suddenly found myself spinning in a circle with one of the pink-lipped men from the night before. "We change partners?" I screamed above the music.

All he did was tilt his head back and laugh. Though the mood was cheery, I could not stop myself from frowning at his response.

He was just as easy to follow as Tarrant. Perhaps my childhood ballet had done me _some _good. If anything, it made me feel more confident with the lightness of my feet.

Just as I was getting used to my new partner, I was thrown into the mix again. This time to end up with… "August." My voice held resentment. "How lovely to see you."

"I could easily say the same about you." Something about his tone told me he wasn't being sarcastic like I was. Was he sincerely delighted to see me? His hands held mine tightly, and I'll admit that his eyes drew me in. What was it about him? There was something, but I was moving too quickly for my mind to properly think.

The song ended just as I was beginning to think it never would. Everyone jumped and clapped with joy, as though it was the finest thing they had ever witnessed. I couldn't even stand up straight, let alone clasp my hands together in appreciation. Tarrant must have noticed my fumbling, because he was quickly at my side to haul me up. He let my body stumble to his side as he carried all of my weight. "Haven't danced in a while, have you?"

"Not since I was a little girl." The numerous balls that were held each year were always skipped for the solitude of my bare canvas. My mother didn't even try to make me go after the first year. "There are many balls where I come from, but I just…" My head was beginning to ache. I did not know if it was from the memories, or the dance I had just finished.

"Don't overwhelm yourself," he instructed. "Lean on me if you need support."

I did as I was ordered. His jacket was soft against my bare arms. My head began to slide away from me and onto the crook of his chest. "Do you dance like this every day?" I asked as my eyes began to flicker shut.

"Every day that I can!"

"With all of your energy, it's difficult to believe that there's a day you cannot."

"Someone looks out of breath, doesn't she?" A soft voice snickered in my ear. Margot was standing beside me with cheeks equally as pink. "You're not used to dancing like this. By the looks of it, you're not used to dancing at all."

"Where I come from, we certainly don't dance like that. We might hop around a bit, but certainly not with so much… fire." The word was the only one that seemed fitting.

"So, it's nothing like the Frabjous day dance." Margot's smooth lips curled into a smile. Her light eyes flickered to Tarrant with excitement as mine did so in confusion.

"Frabjous day…?" The word sounded like candy on my tongue, though it had been mentioned once before with Bayard.

"I shouldn't be the one to tell you about that dance," Margot laughed. "You'll have to ask Mister Hightopp. Surely, he would give you a _much _better demonstration than I."

She left me dumbfounded and lost in another pool of possibilities. My eyes slowly craned up towards Tarrant. "Do I really want to know about this Frabjous day dance?"

"You might. Eventually." Excitement oozed from every strand of his orange hair. I could see thousand of stories behind the glossiness of his eyes, waiting to spill over like a waterfall. All I could do was smile in return. My arm mechanically wrapped itself around his to give it a friendly squeeze.

"Thanks for that."

~.~.~.~.~

Iracebeth's bare feet made it to the edge of the forest, but stopped before the wet soil hit her toes. She winced back in fear of the gooey Earth. Her entire life, she'd been treated like a Queen. Even when she was a little girl she was doted upon. Of course, her sister had been much lovelier and more prized, but her lack of affection did not mean a lack of wealth.

Those days were over. She was now going to walk barefoot through the woods. Bugs and birds had pecked away at the remains of her tattered slippers, and her pasty skin was all she had left. It was enough to make anyone who knew of life's pleasures shudder.

Her eyes scanned behind her to catch one last glimpse of the Knave. It didn't matter what he said. He was hers. He had worked for her, loved her, and obeyed her. Though he was beginning to find a mind of his own, that only sparked her attraction. But she wasn't going to succumb to his anger. She would go marching off and he would come find her. Bare feet and all.

With her head held up firmly, she began to step into dark terrains of the fruit trees. The bananas smiled down at her with their curved, yellow teeth. It was a place of solitude for her, though the golden peels made her feel sick. Yellow. It had never looked good in her hair. It never looked lovely against her pale skin.

Yellow.

Yellow was almost like white and white was a nauseating remembrance of her sister. Of course she hated yellow.

It didn't matter. Soon, they would both be off the island. He was coming to set them free. He was coming very soon.

She pouted her lips a bit more, though no one was there to place a fat-bellied pig beneath her sore feet. She just wanted out. And soon, her wish would be granted.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Hatter and I had stopped amongst the many stalls being set up for the Festival. Shopkeepers of all kinds were offering their goods in return for others. There were book-keepers, shoemakers, tailors and toymakers. Every stand was unique and full of desirable goods.

"Did you used to have a hat stand here?" I asked Tarrant as I stopped near an animal stall. A lazy-eyed cat stared up at me; it's grey fur rubbing happily against my arm. I let its soft body slid beneath my fingers until she hopped from the table and away from my sight.

"Yes, of course." He replied as a curious bird wandered onto his shoulder. "One should never make hats unless they wish to sell them. Most of the time, my fingers just can't stop and I end up having thirty hats lying around to give away for free!"

My eyes trailed over his tattered top hat. I had looked at it many times, but there was still something new that caught my eye at every chance. This time, I noticed a small needle sticking out from the side. "It's clear that you enjoy making hats, and you certainly make them finely."

"The Queen commissioned me to be her royal Hat maker after the village had fallen. When the town started re-building itself, I couldn't seem to leave the Queen's side." His eyes scanned the little huts with adoration. Any man looking upon his face could see the longing for home. He leisurely inhaled every scent he could catch, as smoke curled up soundlessly from the nearby chimneys. "Perhaps I will return here in the future."

"Perhaps you ought to," I said, offering a small pat on the arm. His face had not shown anger or distress for a long time and I enjoyed his company when he seemed sane.

The reminiscing had ended, and we began to wander towards the bakery section. Tarrant exchanged a few threads and needles for some loaves, obviously for our trip. I could smell the pumpernickel from a few feet away, the longing for food desperately showing by the growls of my stomach. "Underland is a strange place," I started. "But I must admit that I very much like your village."

I watched as the Hatter stopped in his tracks. His whole body reeled around to get a better look at me, as though what I said wasn't honest. All I could do was smile to prove that I was being truthful. "Thank you, Maggie. That's so kind." His minor lisp peeked through at the 'so' and I found myself smiling once again. "You know, you've been doing that a lot lately."

"Doing what?"

"Smiling. When I first met you, you didn't seem to have the knack for it."

My head began to droop a bit in disgrace. He knew nothing about my pitiful lifestyle back home, but did that mean I could be a burden? Did that give me any right to take my frustration out on my hosts? "Forgive me," I whispered. "My lips are not used to the gesture. I'll admit that I cannot easily wear a smile."

"That's a shame." He leaned in towards me as if a secret was being passed. His words had been quiet and my stomach began to flutter, despite my strong urgency for it not to. Every inch of me froze as he stopped just short of my ear. "You're exquisite when you wear one."

No words managed to find their way into the air. I watched in silence as he made his way across the stalls, shopping for all of our vital supplies. It was like he did not know the effect his words had on me. Surely, he didn't. He did not know how much they meant.

The bird remained on his shoulder until it took its homeward bound leave. It's brown wings spread out widely as it dashed across the sky and out of sight.

"Go on," I whispered. "Fly back home."

**~.~.~.~.~**

**Once again, thanks for all of the reviews last time. I'm actually having trouble getting into this story, but I promise I won't abandon you. And yes, I know it's slow, but things will get more exciting later on. I just have to establish some relationships first. :) **

**Please review! xx**


	12. Realizations & Regrets

**Hello everyone! Sorry about the wait. I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

**Please rate and review! :3**

**-Mistro**

**~.~.~.~.~.~**

Our trip in the village didn't last much longer. Tarrant grabbed the rest of the supplies with friendly exchanges and glossy coins. I watched the colorful townspeople scurry about as I stood on the sidelines. Before I knew it, we were leaving as quickly as we had come. The afternoon sun favorably guided our path as we scurried through the trees, but the forest still had a peculiar effect on me.

"Not still afraid, are you?" I heard my companion ask. He must have noticed my hunched posture.

I shook my head in denial, though I could hardly convince myself. "Of course not. I'm just fearful of that fact that I don't speak the playing cards' language. If we were to be threatened, I might not understand their intimidations." A measly laugh was all I got as a response. Though his mood did make me feel better about the situation, my stomach could not entirely untwist itself.

"A few still have their loyalty to the Red Queen," he explained. "It seems peculiar, considering she's not coming off of that island any time soon." His face shifted from amused to one of concern. "Yet, playing cards are loyal. You can bend and label them, but they still have a surprisingly strong sense of identity."

"And she made them?"

"She gave them power." His words sent chills down my spine. I had to shift the tote on my back in order to hide my shivers. "No matter! There's no need to worry about them any longer. They're only part of the stories now. History doomed is history buried."

I wanted to happily nod my head and skip the rest of the way back, but that wasn't going to happen. I had seen things in Underland that were like nothing in my own world. Even Tarrant himself was something that could be pulled straight from a storybook. And yet, he was standing right beside me, in the flesh. Or was he? My fingers almost betrayed me to reach out for him; to make sure he was real.

"Yes," I muttered, too softly for him to hear over the crunching of leaves beneath our boots. "And yet, the world was built on stories."

~.~.~.~.~.~

My mood had shifted dramatically from the festival to the arrival at the castle. My animosity was beginning to seep through once more. In order to avoid it I tried my hardest not to say much at all.

When we finally reached the gates, the rest of the crew was preparing outside. Boxes were packed. Cases were open and getting ready to be filled. The first one to notice us was the young boy. His smirk held resentment for my presence, but he tossed Tarrant a look of enjoyment. "Back so soon? It looks as though you've gotten what we needed." Tarrant tossed the bag down in front of him, proudly gesturing towards the collection of food. "This is a perfect amount. Thank you, Hatter. You always work so hard." Naturally, I was not mentioned. His dark eyes met mine with caution. At first, nothing seemed peculiar about them. Yet, over time, his face began to change in my mind. Something about it tickled the back of my memory. "So, did you have a good time, Miss March?"

His words were harsh as they fell from his tongue. I could have retorted something equally as sharp back, but bad connections were the last thing I wanted. I didn't even know the boy's name. "Yes," I mumbled. "It was a splendid trip." I hoped he could deduce the sarcasm in my tone. "Thank you so much for asking, Mister…"

"It's Andrew," he replied quickly. His eyes nearly laughed by themselves behind his curled, dark bangs. "Andrew Shinespeck. I'm assuming you've already met my brother, though I'm afraid I got the better looks between the two of us."

Some might have viewed it as a joke, but I didn't think Andrew was kidding. What really drew my attention was the fact that he had a brother. No wonder he had looked so familiar! I inched myself a bit closer towards him for a better view, but he caught on quickly and inched away in aversion. "You're August's brother, aren't you?" I could see the same judgmental stare behind his pupils. "I should have known it from the start."

"That's right." He redirected his attention to packing with clear annoyance on his face. I thought he might say more on the matter, but he left his words to linger in the air. My face was not hiding its disappointment at his cold shouldered attitude. August had learned to like me, even if it was more like a pet, but Andrew could not seem to gather up his courage.

"Don't mind him," I heard someone mutter in my ear. Tarrant's face was dangerously close to mine as his whisper came to an end. "He's not exactly the friendliest."

"Neither was his brother." I secretly hoped my scoff was loud enough for the boy to hear.

"They have a problem with outsiders." This might have sounded prejudiced, but the Hatter's miserable expression had me concerned. "You see, many people in my village are nervous about unknowns. Unknowns were the ones who burned our village and killed many of our people." His words brought back a sour taste in my mouth. As he spoke, I could practically feel the heat of the fire against my skin. "He just doesn't know you yet. Not like I do."

If I was previously holding any anger, it dispersed upon the Hatter's confession. He didn't seem to catch me staring at him as he made his way towards the rest of the crew. "No." His pearly-white skin seemed to glow in the direct sunlight as I whispered to myself. "He's not like you."

~.~.~.~.~.~

The Queen demanded that we were to have a private visitation before I sailed off. She called me in shortly after we had arrived and I was surprised to find my shoes being the only pair in the room. She sat on her chair, looking down at me with a true regal expression on her face. The look on her face was intimidating. She was said to be a sweet Queen, yet there was undeniable power in her black eyes. "Maggie March, I need to speak to you." Her voice echoed off of every pillar in the hall. My body froze as her words flooded my brain.

All I could do was nod. She was going to warn me what we were going up against. "I'm ready, your majesty."

"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?"

When her dark lips first began to move, her story struck me as nothing out of the ordinary. She had a sister, as many did, who grew up to be a spoiled brat. As many did. Her sister yearned for so much love and adoration, that she soon became overly greedy for it and commanded it from every pair of eyes that happened to glance her way. As many did.

Nothing she could possibly say about her sister was laced with tenderness. There was not only disgust for the woman, but clear frustration and possibly hatred. Her voice began to grow dim in my head as Mirana's words sunk in. Something about the Red Queen reminded me of… Well, myself.

Her desire to be noticed.

Her thirst for love.

I was just a lot better at hiding it. I didn't admit it to myself.

Of course, I wasn't going to confess this revelation to the White Queen, but the idea still danced around my thoughts. They were shattered when the Queen's voice continued. "When she finally built her own castle and formed her own army, things began to go terribly astray." The history of the Hatter's village, as well as many others, shortly followed. Threats for beheadings were sent all over the kingdom. Hundreds were killed. All hope seemed to be lost until the day that Alice arrived.

Alice. The name sounded as sweet as the girl's personality. Just like me, the girl had thought she was in a dream. She was stubborn. By the Queen's physical description, it truly sounded like my Uncle's neighbor back in England. The logic was there, considering the rabbit hole was between our two homes, but the idea seemed preposterous at the time.

Surely two people couldn't have the same dream?

Alice was loved despite her uncertainty. Hightopp took a particular fondness to blonde girl. Many people swore it was love beneath their breaths, but Alice left too soon for any confessions to be made. She had rescued them all. She wore the armor and she wielded the sword.

And what had I done? Gathered a few loaves of bread and danced around a village.

Oh, mother would be so proud.

"I'm sorry," I chuckled darkly as her story began to draw to a close. "This story has made everything much more clear to me and I thank you for that." She bowed her head in appreciation. "Yet, I just don't understand how you think I can manage to help you. This Alice was special, and I fear that I am only a disruption."

"No other outsider besides Alice has ever come into our world. She helped us gain back our freedom. We have every reason to believe that you are needed here as well, despite the lack of your title in our stories." Every word was spoken with a smile. I could not manage to mirror the same expression.

"You think that I am to be a hero." It was not a question.

"We have every reason to believe this. You just need time to prove it." The familiar feeling of rage was beginning to curl back into my blood stream. I knew that I was going to snap at any second if I didn't calm myself down. "You might be different, Maggie, but that doesn't make you any less of a treasure in our eyes."

Somehow, I didn't view that as a compliment. "But… _me? _You don't even know who I am. None of you know anything about me." I knew my words contradicted with what I had told Tarrant before. In the heat of my frustration, I was not concerned with previous events and I let them flutter past me in a fit of irritation. "This is not my home. Perhaps I should leave."

"Madeline-"

No one was _ever_ to call me by that name. When she uttered those three, sickening syllables, I knew that the magical world was not as wonderful as I was starting to believe. The white walls suddenly grew meek. The windows were no longer sun-filled. Instead they were dusty and damaged. Everything was pitiful. It was a castle built on a lie. Imagination? Magic? No. It was insanity.

"I'll go on your trip," I stuttered. "Then I think it will be best if I return to England." I could see her rising from her seat to console me, but I raised a hand to stop her movements. "Don't bother getting up until I can do the same. Not until I'm able to get up from this dream." My feet swiftly took me away from the hall. There was no regret hidden in the pit of my stomach. Tears didn't burn the bottom of my eyes as regret for my harsh words stung my heart. I kept my eyes glued to the white tile of the corridor floors until my feet nearly stumbled over someone and I was forced to look up.

Tarrant looked far from pleased. As soon as he noticed my high shoulders, clenched fists and ruddy face, his entire expression grew to one of worry. It was a look that I had always desired from my parents. My brother gave it to me at points, but he often had little to say after a pat on the back. Tarrant was different. "Are you alright?"

I could hardly believe the words that came from his lips. No one had asked me that before. Or, if they had, it was too forced for me to properly remember. "I'm fine…" It took all of my strength not to stutter as I answered. Someone actually wanted to know what I was feeling?

"You don't look it." His voice was flat. I could see his fingers reaching out to take my arm, but I quickly dodged them before our skin could meet. My lips parted in an apology. They sealed before they followed through with it. My moods were not something I was used to discussing. No one ever seemed to listen properly.

As the memories came flooding back into my head, my lips struggled to retrieve a response. Though I attempted to push past him, he was firmly adamant that that was not going to happen. As he stepped in my path, words began to be exchanged. "Something is bothering you."

"You need to listen more clearly. I told you that I was alright."

"Why are you lying?"

"I am not a _liar_." My teeth were gritted so tightly that I thought my jaw would step. With each move I tried to move around him; he counteracted it. Escape seemed inevitable. All I could do was vocally try to make my way through. "I have seem you grow frustrated before, and now I am doing the same. You'll let me past because you know what it feels like." Both of our chests were heaving as I spoke. Pain was beginning to cross his face. My expression nearly cracked at the sight of it. "You'll let me pass because you care."

A long silence passed between us. My sight was still glued to a window on my left, but I could see him clearing the way from the corner of my eye. No part of me had the strength to catch his stare. My heart was begging for air as I held my breath. I finally allowed it to come when I was far from his sight.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry with him beside me. Silence was the only guide I had now, and he was far less caring.

But the tears never came. I waited for them all evening. My cheeks were never stained. They remained smooth as my eyes kept dry.

I was cursed to feel no pain, and part of me wondered if it was because I _was_ a liar. Underland was becoming something special to me, and all I wanted was to be a major part of it. Everyone else seemed to think so, but my own heart struggled for such acceptance.

Closing my eyes to the crooked moon, I let myself try for a final night of sleep.


	13. Another Beginning

**IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE I UPDATED THIS. BUT GUESS WHAT? I'M BACK SO THAT SHOULD BE ALL THAT MATTERS. And whyyyy am I back, do you ask?**

**Because I saw freaking Danny freaking Elfman last week in concert and I got really emotional and knew that I had let you all down.**

**So, to make up for this terrible deed, I have written you a chapter. And will continue to do so.**

**I have also baked you all a metaphorical cake that tastes like (insert your favorite flavor here and then make it 10x more delicious than it normally is). **

**All my love,**

**Mistro**

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When I awoke the following morning in a sweat, it did not come to my surprise when the moon was who stared back at me. I eyed the orb carefully from my bed, fearful that it was a mischievous cat waiting to pounce. When no harm came to me, I allowed myself to doze back beneath the damp pillows.

The sweat eventually subsided, but as the silence of the early morning lingered on, I couldn't help to remind myself of why I had been nervous in the first place.

My actions towards the White Queen and the Hatter the previous evening were entirely unjustifiable. I had left Tarrant without any form of gratitude for caring during my misery. Part of me understood the way I acted within the heat of the moment. Another part warned me that I was starting to act like my mother: pushing everyone away because I could not find strength to love myself.

Sleep struggled to find me for the next few hours, and although I tossed and turned the bed never offered me comfort. Once, it had seemed like a feathered paradise. Suddenly, a tomb of rocks sounded more appealing.

With at least an hour of strapped under my belt, I was awoken with the faint smell of cinnamon and the sinking feeling that I was suddenly not alone. Cracking my eyes open to proper sunlight, I was unsurprised to see a figure at the edge of my bed. Underland often awoke me with surprises.

"I didn't want to wake you," Tarrant whispered, extending his plate full of biscuits. "Warm and fresh. The very best. Made for you by kitchen pests."

I offered him a smile, though it was tinged with guilt. He was already looking after me, even after I had treated him so poorly. I tried to remember a time in my life where someone had acted so protective, but could not pinpoint a moment. "Thank you," I said groggily, plucking away a few of the toasting savories.

"I promise I haven't been here long." His gloved hands patted the top of my covers gently. "I was just about to wake you, when I suddenly realized I couldn't!" He giggled minutely to himself. I struggled to join along in his merriment.

"Tarrant," I muttered as I sat up. My nightgown hung loosely from my body with the utmost sense of impropriety, but there was nothing that seemed to bother me when I was with him. His eyes never gazed further than my face, and when he looked into my eyes, it was as if he already knew. "About last night-"

"I won't hear it!" Swiftly, he pulled his hat down with a tug, securing it around his ears.

"I was upset," I continued without a beat. "Hearing the recent history of Underland made me question my importance. I've been wondering since the beginning why I came to this place, but there have been no signs as of yet. I thought I could control my lack of pride, but she mentioned Alice and-"

"Alice?" The Hatter's eyes seemed to stare into nothingness, their green color flashing like gems beneath the sunlight. Though they were sparkling, their shimmer reflected a glow of misery. "Alice is gone now…" His voice faded into a silent muttering, directed solely to himself. I wanted to reach out to him, but found my hands frozen.

"I shouldn't have said anything," I apologized. "Bringing back memories before an expedition is never helpful."

Though the Hatter seemed trapped in a void, he suddenly broke free with an exuberant grin. Something about it felt forced, and I knew this mysterious girl lingered in his thoughts more than he expressed. "You would have liked Alice." His dangerously pink lips broke apart to display a gapped smile. "She thought she was dreaming when she came. It was when she realized that she was not asleep that she wanted to return home…" The Hatter didn't dare to look at me, but he kept that eerie smile. "If that's the case, I sincerely hope you don't stop dreaming."

We both sat in silence as the cuckoo clocks lining my ceiling ticked out of sync. Hatter's mind might have been stagnant, but mine was buzzing. If I kept on dreaming, I would stay in Underland. I would serve the White Queen and perhaps find a purpose. But that wasn't what the Hatter saw. He saw it as me staying with him. He saw it as a friend by his side and not deserting him for a better offer.

Alice, whoever she was, had been a very important girl. To the Hatter, she could have been a friend, a sister, or a lover. I could not be sure, but her memory echoed through every soul in the castle. She had saved them all. She was the hero of Underland, a foretold savior from the land above.

And though I was not destined to follow her footsteps, I was still viewed as valuable. The Hatter desired for me to stay with them, and I couldn't imagine many others to object. Though I longed for England at times, my adventure in Underland had hardly even begun. There was much more to learn.

"Tarrant," I started suddenly. "If I recall correctly, we are going on a boat trip this morning."

"Carriage!" He clasped his hands together loudly, causing me to jump a foot. "First the carriage with the supplies, and then onto the boat! And then to the island. And then back again. And then who knows where…?"

My hand, feeling rather bold, slid itself over his. He seemed to be taken aback by my sudden gesture, but there was no timidity when he gave it a gentle squeeze. "Well then." My smile stretched to my ears. 'We had better get ready."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Andrew Shinespeck had a hard time liking anybody, but Madeline Smith had it worse than most. Something about her hair seemed suffocating with its volume, and the darkness of it made his blood run cold. Her eyes were ironic gemstones, since her piercing stare could frost over even the warmest of hearts.

Underland was supposed to be filled with people who were born there. Not outsiders. Not only was she a mere human, but also she didn't possess any sort of gift or trade. There were no special powers within her fingertips, and if anything she looked like a crooked witch. Although, much prettier than the ones his parents had whispered to him about before bed.

Witches were not respected within Underland. In fact, the last of them had died out over fourteen suns ago and Andrew was certain Maggie was there to raise her 'sisters' back from the grave.

What was troublesome was how much everyone seemed to like her. When she walked out of the castle on the day of their leave, she was smiling alongside Tarrant as if there was not a taint in her world. Andrew couldn't say the same; _she_ was becoming his taint.

It was not Maggie's negative aura that put the young sailor off, but something else that Maggie might not have realized she could control.

What he feared most was that she would see through him quicker than the rest.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Tarrant and I made our way out of castle with a bit of hesitation in our polished footsteps. Both of our stomachs were filled with warm biscuits and tea, but our hearts were hesitant to leave the castle. Tarrant never enjoyed leaving his post, but I was more concerned that I had not yet apologized to the White Queen.

Unfortunately, the Hatter informed me that she needed her beauty sleep, and than she would meet us at the docks. It took all of my strength to not burst into her private quarters that morning to beg for her forgiveness. I assumed that my continued presence within Underland was her way of saying everything between us was all right.

As we approached the carriages in the courtyard, it did not take long for me to feel the arctic stare of Andrew Shinespeck. From the moment I met him I knew he would put me off. My experience with his brother had been the same.

"Morning," he muttered lowly, strapping the last of our food supplies onto a carriage roof.

I nodded in response, unable to find congeniality towards him.

"It _is _a good morning!" The Hatter said boisterously.

Andrew managed a slight smile, though there was a tint of annoyance spread across his full lips. "I never said it was a _good _morning."

"You didn't need to," Tarrant continued with his familiar lisp. "Every morning is a good morning. Unless of course, you'd prefer to die within your sleep." Andrew didn't find the joke quite as humorous as its speaker.

"Alright, alright," I laughed alongside the Hatter. "Let's make our way with the Frog captain before they decide your laughter will sink the ship."

As Tarrant and I headed towards the opposite coach, I could feel Andrew turning his back to take a closer look at me. I met his eyes without fear, hoping that he saw whatever it was he disliked. Having him hate me was not an issue. The strange thing was that there was no good within him either. I could feel anger radiating off of him like body heat; tangible and unmistakable. Such heat of his skin was a visible sign that he carried Hell within his soul. The more he disliked me without reason, the more his true character shown.

When I turned back to my more amiable companion, I found him holding the door of the coach open for me. The Frog duo awaited us, and tossing a bemused smile towards Tarrant, I squished myself into the compartment. He joined us swiftly and we were off.

It did not take long to get to the docks. As we bumpily made our way across the forests and fields, minor discussion was passed between our cabin. The Frogs practiced their croaking, as it was vital to call for help during a storm. Tarrant also attempted to perfect his croak, as he loudly produced guttural noises for the remainder of the journey. I presumed the Frog's lack of applause was a gentle let down.

When we finally came to the docks, the Queen awaited us as the Hatter had promised. She looked calm, but anyone looking closely would have been able to notice fear quivering within her lips. Her smile seemed easy, but the tightness of her fists was another obvious sign. I wondered if I noticed since I often painted figures, and therefore took note of their every expression.

She was nervous about her sister. That was clear, but not in the loving way. She was nervous that her sister would once again cause trouble.

"Our supplies need to be carried onto the ship," Andrew said loudly as the rest of the crew gathered around. Taking down the heaviest trunk, Andrew passed it cheekily onto me. The weight crushed my weak bones and with a hesitant giggle I found myself running towards the ship.

I could hardly pay attention to its beauty as the crate nearly crushed my lungs. However, I did manage to glimpse at our vessel, and it was a sight to steal the vision of a blind man. Tall and radiant, the silver boat trickled out of the water like a trident. Its poop deck seemed to be painted in a glossy white, with tiny flecks of gold laced within the sails up above. Just as I was about to smile, the suitcase in my arms decided to twist it into a frown.

Everything nearly went tumbling out of my hands and over the dock, but a pair of gentle hands was quick to stop it from entering its watery grave. I looked up to see Mirana, her face twisting with shared pain. "This is quite heavy. Let me help you with that."

"T-Thank you," I stuttered. "Your highness."

We carried it onto the bottom level of the ship with ease, tossing it lazily onto the ground. "If only we could have set it on Andrew's private bedchambers," Mirana said with a smirk. "Then he would have the task of bringing it back down himself."

I was about to laugh at her playful remark, but its harshness caused me to rethink my actions. Was the Queen not fond of _everyone _in Underland? That was what I was told, but her harsh judgments of Andrew made me rethink the messages passed onto me. "Do you not like the Chief Officer?"

"I do not dislike him," she spoke slowly, raising her thin finger to her lips while she pondered. "However, if he treats you in such a way without explanation, I cannot find myself growing in affection for him either."

"I deserve it," I said quickly. "After the way I acted in front of you, it was a minor punishment. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make my apologies known. I hope you can forgive me." I was unafraid to drop my head in shame. My mother had made me do it on many occasions when I would 'scuff up' my Uncle's polished floors or leave my tea sit for too long.

Mirana shook her head, despite my plea for forgiveness. "Your confusion was justified. I am also stuck in a state of bewilderment as to what to do with you." Though the statement sounded threatening, she wore a sweet smile. "In the meantime, I can trust Tarrant to look out for you."

"Yes…" I said slowly. Something about the Hatter's name flooded warmth over my body. "For some reason, I have to agree with you. He has kept me safe so far, and though I do not know him perfectly, I feel as if he would repeat his actions in the future."

The Queen only watched me with careful eyes. Each glance she passed over my face was full of wisdom, and though she did not express what she was thinking verbally, there was a glimmer in her eye where her heart shown through.

Just as I was about to thank her, another member of the crew joined us on the bottom decks. The Knight dropped another crate by our feet, its heavy thud causing us both to jump from our skin.

"What in Underland is contained in that box?" Mirana said, nervously tucking a white hair behind her ear.

The Knight's face had never been revealed to me, but I could almost see him smiling behind his bevor. "Courage, your highness."

"Ah, but of course!" She gasped. "No wonder it was so heavy. You'll need much of it for this trip."

I nearly started laughing, but when I noticed they were not taking part, it dawned on me that their words were not a joke. Their strength was literally sealed in a box, as if opening it would give them a better advantage. A last resort of things went wrong.

Tarrant joined us in the decks shortly afterwards, his arms carrying a bundle of fruits and bread. He set them down nearby, but not without plucking a yellow apple from the top of the pile. Biting into it merrily, he spread his teeth with a juicy smile. "How salty!"

I could no longer contain my amusement, and the laughter building within came tumbling naturally from my lips. The Queen seemed startled by my sudden joy, the Knight's expression was indiscernible, but Tarrant was equally as amused.

"If anything is to be said about my time here," I spoke between each fit of laughter. "It's that nothing is to be said at all."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

When the ship finally was packed, and the crew was in order and comfortable, we decided our time near shore could not continue much longer. Looking out into the unforeseeable waters, we took our chances and untied our ropes. The ship set off easily, as if higher powers had a better place to take us.

Captain Frog made his way speedily along the ship, checking that every knot and floorboard was to be accounted for. Andrew checked the supplies and accounted for anything out of place. The other Frog kept his watch in the crow's nest, and the Knight kept hold of the helm. As for Tarrant and I, we found ourselves to be of minor use. As we sailed further off, it was our duty to wave to the Queen on shore until she became a miniature snowflake as we sailed further out.

"The night will catch up to us soon," Tarrant said softly, his voice familiarly soothing. "It always does on a ship. One minute you think you're ready for the day, and then the Moon decides that she wants you instead."

"Don't you mean Cheshire?" I chuckled darkly. "Whenever I see the curve of the moon, I can't help but believe it's him."

The Hatter frowned, his green eyes sticking out like orbs against the blueness of the sea. "Cheshire. It's been a long time since I've seen that fat cat."

My arm gently nudged him, snapping him out of whatever memory he was burying himself in. "If there were any bad instances between the two of you, I didn't mean to bring them back."

Tarrant smiled widely, struggling to find a normal expression. "Not a bad memory, just an old one. It was when we first defeated the Red Queen that I properly spoke to him last, and even then, it was a mutual friend that tied us-"

"Alice," I said quickly. Tarrant's entire body reacted to the name like lightning. He stood up straight like a shock was sent through his spine. His hair visibly stood higher on its roots, the orange tint flashing like a newly lit flame. "You never speak of her."

Just as I feared, his Scottish accent started appearing with each word. "Perhaps because that isn't any of your business."

"Perhaps," I said with a measly shrug. "You'd feel better if you took some weight off of our shoulders." His eye twitched in displeasure, but it was the only response he offered. "You know…" I said gently. "I know what it feels to have someone let you down. To have someone you love let you go like you mean nothing to them. It hurts more than a sword entering the heart, but when you go to look at your chest, you are not bleeding and somehow that makes the pain worse."

Tarrant was silenced by my language. He could see the pain written on my face, but he did not know of my past. He did not know of the parent's love that dissolved with the sight of me, or the coldness I faced from my 'friends'. And yet he knew of something similar, in his own life, which may have been able to connect us.

"Who told you?" He whispered, his lisp sneaking through the gap in his teeth. If his voice had been personified, it would have been the creeping of a bony cat trying to make its way silently without notice.

"Is that what matters? All I'm trying to express is that you're not alone. You're not alone in the fear that no one will stay by your side. You're not alone with the memories of someone you care for leaving you when you need them most. And you're not alone physically." My hand gently found its way atop his. He did not grasp it back as normal, but he did not push it away either. That was enough for me. "You have me to talk to, if that's what you wish."

It was in moments such as that when I witnessed the Hatter to be a man. I wanted to scrub the 'makeup' from his face and see a skin color similar to my own. I wanted to see the emerald in his eyes shimmer like a faded moss, and the brightness of his hair dim like the extinguishing flame of a candle. I knew that would not be possible, however, because he _was_ the way he looked. There was no changing him, and somehow that made him more beautiful.

He did not manage to provide me with a response straight away. I could feel Andrew's eyes on the pair of us as the Chief Officer crawled up from the lower decks. Just as Tarrant was about to respond to my lengthy words, Andrew bolted in with orders.

"Smith," he said harshly. "Go and make the cots on the bottom deck. The blankets are in the blue case. Don't take long." His eyes flickered between the Hatter and I dangerously, as if we were hiding a secret behind closed lips.

I nodded without argument. Andrew ran off to find other people to nag, and I suddenly found myself _wanting _to be alone. When Tarrant was ready, he would find me. Until then, I was a member of the ship's crew, and I had duties to uphold.

Truthfully, my first concern was this infamous Red Queen who had so eerily reminded me of myself. Preparing the cots for rest was a rather important job, and I was actually honored that Andrew had passed it onto me.

After all, we would need all of the sleep we could get.

I just didn't know it at the time.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

**REVIEW? **

**It's been so freaking long.**

**I'm sorry. **

**That probably doesn't help. **


	14. Battle of the Mind

**Thanks for all the well wishes in regards to the show last chapter! **

**123C: Yes, I am highly motivated to keep it up. There was a major lull as I headed to University (I moved countries, so that was kind of difficult) and I couldn't get back on my toes. But I think I've found myself steady once again, and I hope the story continues to please all of its readers!**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please be sure to review and let me know what you would like to read about. I'm afraid people might be OOC here, but in Underland, how can anyone actually have ONE personality? **

**I'm entirely open to suggestions and I LOVE hearing what you guys have to say! REVIEW. THIS CHAPTER MADE ME NERVOUS.**

**Yours,**

**Mistro **

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"_Madeline… what are you doing?" _

_The young girl looked up from behind her dark curls. Her eyes were as wide as the sun and burning with the same sort of beautiful fire. "I'm making my bed, mummy."_

_The young girl's mother shook her head with disapproval. "That is what we hired maids for. Come along; your art class begins shortly and we must get you ready." The mother extended her hand towards the girl, who continued standing quietly at the side of the bed. Something was troubling her, but she had never found it easy to spill her heart to her own mother. "Is something troubling you, my darling?" _

"_I wanted to show you that I could make my own bed. Like a grown-up." Her voice was a tiny whisper, lost in the huge room that Madeline could call her own. She had all she could want; a fortune safely tucked away, a bed bigger than a Princess's and all the paint she could ask for. The only thing she truly wanted was a compliment from her mother. _

"_Yes, and you did that, but I am telling you that it was unnecessary. I will have Lucinda make your bed tomorrow, or she will have to be relocated. The shameful woman must have forgotten."_

_Maggie tried to interject. "No, she tried, but I told her-"_

"_Madeline, be quiet." Now her mother's temper was being tested, and Madeline knew what came shortly after that. "Be in my room in two minutes, or I shall call after your father for a spanking." _

_Her tall, salmon heels clinked their way out of the room, leaving Madeline in an unfriendly silence. Her hands, soft and pale, ran themselves over the silk bed sheets. Small flowers danced about the purple fabric, bumpily digging into her skin as she pressed them. She loved her bed. It was where she could dream of far away places and gallant Knights. It was where her tiny heart would pound when a thunderstorm rolled past her window. It was where she felt safe; under the covers rather than in her parents' arms. _

_Pressing down on the mattress once more, Madeline said goodbye to her bed for the time being. It was time to brush her hair, straighten her dress and polish her shoes._

_Like the perfect little girl she was. _

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

My feet touched the ground as they dangled off the wooden cot. When I recalled the days of my childhood bedroom, I remembered the struggle my feet had to reach the floorboards best of all. It was a challenge that I could not fix by intellect or money, but one that could only be fixed by time. That was truly magical to me; that there were forces of the world which you could no control, no matter how desperately you tried.

I let my mind wrap itself in the silence of the ship's lower decks. _The Snowdrop _was a truly beautiful boat, crafted perfectly for cutting across cold waters and floating effortlessly on shallow shores. Although there were many miraculous places in Underland, I found my heart warming towards the _Snowdrop_'s aura.

I had straightened all of the cot's sheets, fluffed the pillows and tucked the duvets. My task had finished only twenty minutes after we left the docks, but I found myself sitting alone for nearly an hour. The pocket-watch Tarrant had lent me informed me that it was still the early morning, but with every passing minute, I prayed nightfall would come.

Just as I was about to lay my head upon a pillow, the sound of clambering boots pulled me from my thoughts. When I looked towards the staircase, a confused Hatter struggled to make eye contact with me. Instead, he let his eyes tumble onto the beds, surprised to see everything so neatly prepared.

"It took you two hours to finish this?" His colorful brow rose high onto his forehead.

"Twenty minutes, actually." I folded my hands together in my lap, smiling sheepishly down at them. He was certain to question what I was doing on the bottom of the ship on my lonesome, and I wasn't prepared to share my memories.

"You should have come upstairs!" The Hatter strolled his way over towards me, the thimbles on his fingers clicking against the side of his leg as he approached. When he sat down next to me, I suddenly felt even safer than before. "The sun is still high and the sky, and you can almost hear the fish singing in the waters."

A quiet chuckle fell from my lips, which were suddenly curling into a smile. Tarrant had that effect on me, and it had been increasing heavily since we had visited his village. I still felt guilty about shouting at him and Mirana, but my only repayment would be kindness. "Well, as tempting as that sounds, I believe I need some time to gather my thoughts." The ship rocked heavily as we passed a wave, and I found myself trying not to fall straight in Tarrant's lap. "My mind was as rocking as these waves!"

Tarrant drummed his fingers on his pink lips, never taking his uneven pupils off of me. "Maggie March," he said quietly. His voice was almost a whisper, and I found myself sweating as our eyes didn't dare to separate. "The girl who felt the sea in her soul."

His words sparked a painting in my head: A girl with her eyes shut, hair long and black like my own, but with the sea bursting from her chest. Expressing the emotions boiling inside her beneath her calm exterior. It was as if Hatter saw through me, perhaps better than my own self.

"If I am the sea, what does that make you?" My eyes flickered down to his hands, where ink and needle cuts lined every inch. He fascinated me, but in a way I had never experienced. He was not like a book, because he was constantly changing. He was not a painting because he was more vivid than one. He was perfect; a child of nature's more daring ideas.

"If you are the sea…" He mumbled, blinking his sparkling eyelashes, "… Then I believe I am the fish within you." He spoke not as his usually abnormal self, but as a man. His heart was opening itself to me when I least expected it. "I am a fish because…. I believe I am most alive when I am with the sea."

My words formulated a response, but my heart did not even know what it was to be. I could feel it coming out of my throat; a confession of some sort that my brain had not even thought of. Part of me believed that it was a token of my affections for this strange man, who seemed to believe in me when hardly anyone else did. Another part of my mind told me to get a better grip on reality, because Underland was certainly a dream.

It had to be.

Because, the second I would want him, he would disappear. Like everything did.

My mouth closed on second thought. Slowly raising my hand from the bed, I dared to reach out and stroke the cheek of Tarrant Hightopp. I didn't know if it was a grand idea or not, but when my hand feel onto his cheek, there was no regret. It was as if he had expected it all along. He didn't bother glancing at my fingertips making their way towards his jawbone, because his eyes were entirely frozen on my own.

As the waves continued crashing against the side of the ship, I was fearful that they might send me flying into him. That would be the icing on our strange cake. But the waves did not get their chance to interrupt, because someone else had their mind on the idea even more.

"Am I interrupting, or are you two acting out a play?" The two of us snapped from our thoughts as Andrew made his way further down the staircase. It was clear that he had been watching us for quite some time, because the only expression on his face was mockery. "Don't answer that. I merely came down to tell you that you might want to have a look upstairs." He took his leave as quietly as he had entered.

My hand dripped like water from Tarrant's face. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and when I went to apologize, I was surprised to see that he had already forgotten. "Oh, what fun!" He shouted happily, hopping up from the mattress. "He must be talking about the Ice Mountains. They're quite beautiful, you know!"

"Ice Mountains?" My own curiosity got the better of me and I lost track of my previous thoughts. "I thought you told me that it was quite warm outside."

He frowned disapprovingly. "Well, that's because it is. I would not lie to you, Maggie."

"But, how could there be ice if-"

The Hatter gently raised his gloved finger to my lips. With a gentle 'shhhh' he silenced me and wrapped his arm through my own. "Questions do not provide answers themselves. You are the one who must go upstairs and see."

"Well," I chuckled hesitantly. "Can't argue with that."

The two of us made our way up the staircase as the excitement in Tarrant's legs flooded to my own. Whenever he became excited, so did I, as his enthusiasm was simply catchable. When we finally stepped onto the deck of the ship, what spread out before me was more beautiful, more surreal than any painting I could have ever conjured up.

My arm slipped from Tarrant's as I lost the ability to control my actions. My body carried me towards the railing of the ship without conscious thought. Everyone's eyes were on me, but I did not mind it. They had seen the sight before, but to me it was an entirely new world. What my eyes caught sight up was surely a form of Heaven itself.

The sea stretched out before us, but along her horizon laid several mountains. Their peaks disappeared into golden clouds that seemed to remain completely still. Despite these mountains being made of snow and ice, they were as clairvoyant as water and I could see for miles whilst looking through them. There was no sign of life on them, but when the sun did manage to peak itself through a crack in the clouds, the reflection off of the caps was a glorious rainbow, stretched for miles across the top of the water. When it appeared, the water reflected stupendous colors, as if we were floating on a painter's dream palate.

Tears began to swell up in the bottom of my eyes and there was little I could do to stop them. I could see Andrew's shocked expression from the corner of my eye. Apparently it surprised him that I had emotions.

"Do you like it?" Croaked the Frog Captain. "They say it is one of the most beautiful sights in Underland."

"_One _of?" I laughed incredibly, daring to take my eyes off the scene for a moment. "Why, if I could, I would live there forever."

Tarrant took a step closer with my remark, his grin wider than I had seen it that day. "Is that true? If I built you a house on the mountains, you promise you would stay in Underland?"

I nodded my head without thinking. Clearly Tarrant was having Alice flashbacks; he didn't want to lose another friend so easily again. "I would do anything to awake to this every morning."

"Beyond these mountains, the weather takes an interesting turn. It gets much warmer," the Frog Captain explained to me. "This is where we will make our way towards the island where the exiled Queen lives." Andrew began to walk away, presumably for business reasons, but I found the moment strange. I kept him in my eye's sight as I continued listening. "Her and the Knave will be there and then we can head back to Her Majesty with good news."

I nodded, still trying to keep my focus on Andrew. His mind was somewhere else as he picked at the wood on the poop deck's railing. Each mentioning of the Red Queen snapped his shoulders into a tighter position. His eyes darted this way and that, making sure to land on anyone and everything but me.

He certainly disliked me, but part of me had always struggled to understand why. Was it because he was a threat? Was he afraid I would see through him?

Because I was starting to.

"Maggie, I believe a celebration is in order!" Tarrant's lisp cooed in my ear as my attention was drawn to more pleasant things. When I turned to face him, I was surprised to see his hand extended towards me.

"Not another dance, surely!" I laughed, embarrassed by the thought of tripping over his feet once again.

"Oh yes, this is certainly a dance!" He snapped his fingers as the Knight went rushing off into the Captain's quarters. Their strange behavior was odder than normal, and I feared what would follow. "However, it is not the kind of dance you are expecting." I had no idea what was going on, and all I wanted to do was look at the Ice Mountains, but apparently the crew had other plans in store for me.

Andrew loudly asked the question I was brewing in my mind. "What in Underland are you going on about?"

The Knight then returned with something crutched in his metal gloves. I was shocked to see it, and the words I found often coming easily disappeared from my mind. When the Knight finally approached, his arms extended a blade towards me. Unsure, I took a step back with a shake of my head. "Unless you want me to die, I am not going to take that sword from you."

"It will be useful to learn the skills of a sword," the Knight interjected. "Members of our crew should know how to handle a blade, dagger, and bow if they are to expect good outcomes in battle."

My lips drooped into a frown. "No one told me we were going into battle." My eyes briefly flickered over to Tarrant, who was polishing his thimbles with his spotted scarf. "Unless it's with our own minds," I mumbled to myself.

The Knight did not seem to hear my mockery, because I soon found myself stumbling backwards as a heavy weapon was placed into my arms. "We may not go into battle, but it is best to be prepared. I am a good teacher. I have taught many Knights of Underland. They are now proudly serving under the White Queen's orders."

An exasperated puff fell from my cheeks. Clearly there was no arguing with the man. "Very well. If this is so important to you!" My hand awkwardly found it's way around the handle, but the weight of it was too much and my arm fell to my side with a thump. "Well, that's just unrealistic! Do you have anything lighter?"

"This is a two-handed sword, Miss Smith." He took his own sword from his sheath. I watched him carefully as he explained in silence how to grasp the handle. I carefully copied his movements, but under his armor I did not know if his expression was one of pride or disappointment. "Nicely done! Now the next part is swinging it. Slicing it through the air, like you're about to chop a man's head off, or stick it in his gut."

"How pleasant."

The rest of the crew gathered a circle around me with the exception of the helmsman, curious to see just how terribly I would fail. Without certainty, I sliced my sword through the air, grimacing the entire time.

"What are you swinging at?" Tarrant giggled from the side of the ship. "Your face looks absolutely repulsed!"

"Perhaps it's her own talent being slashed to threads," Andrew muttered. "Swords come to people naturally, or they do not. I think we have already found our answer."

The taunting suddenly led me to believe that I could handle a sword. If Andrew had not of been so critical, I might have given up. But he was presenting me with a challenge, and proving Andrew Shinespeck wrong was suddenly at the top of my list of things to accomplish. Right underneath painting the next 'Mona Lisa'.

Recalling the fencing practices my brother used to attend, I swung the sword widely above my head. As I twisted the blade in my hand, my torso twisted to land itself in front of Andrew. Stopping the tip of my blade just beneath his throat managed to stun him, and the rest of the crew, into silence.

"Well, that was quite unexpected!" The Frog Captain chuckled. "I think Andrew deserved a good scare. Have anything to say to that, do you now, laddie?"

"That is not the point," the Knight snickered alongside his Captain. "The point is that her movements were correct. Where did you learn such a thing?"

"My brother," I explained, dropping the hilt of my sword. Andrew's expression looked like one of relief, and I let myself savor that for a moment before speaking. "My brother used to fence at school and I would come to his tournaments. Of course, mother never allowed me to pick up a Foil, Sabre or Epee myself, but-"

"I want to try her!" Everyone's head snapped towards Tarrant, whose hands were coming together quite giddily. We all shared our confusion with his sudden outburst, but he quickly explained. "I haven't handled a sword since Frabjous day. There is nothing I would like more than to duel against Maggie."

"Why?" I shrieked, my heart suddenly dropping to my toes. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"I think that might be a good idea, actually. The practicing bit, not the part where he kills you." The Knight's opinions and trust always seemed to surprise me. One minute he seemed strict and reserved and the next he was as carefree as a feather. They all were, when I came to think on it, but I supposed that was a common trait amongst Underland residents. "Tarrant is quite fine with a blade. And there is not better way to practice than naturally."

My hands quickly pushed the sword back to him. "I have never trained a day in my life, and suddenly you want me to duel? I can promise you things will not end well."

Tarrant snickered. "A slice to the cheek here, a cut on the hand there, the slicing of one's throat perhaps… It's not quite as terrible as one might suspect!"

With a loud groan, I snatched the weapon back into my possession. The Ice Mountains still towered above us, but somehow they did no longer felt protective. I prayed that the golden clouds would rain their fortune upon me.

Hatter and I lined up as if prepared for battle. The Knight did not hesitate to alter my stance, hand positions, and overall lack of knowledge. The Frog Captain was highly interested in our combat, most likely because he wanted to watch me fail, but Andrew found it quite immature. He took his leave with a brisk shake of his head, his long tailcoat flapping behind him as he made his way onto the higher deck.

"On my word," the Knight said loudly, standing between the both of us. "You can swing at one another. But Tarrant, I suggest you go slowly so that Maggie can pick up on your moves… and so that you do not lose control." I could not see the Knight's face, but I imagined him gulping with nerves. "You know that happens sometimes."

Tarrant bent his knees, crouching like a cat about to eat its prey. "Not a drop of blood will come upon her." He smiled unfittingly for the situation we found ourselves in.

"Not a drop of _your _blood or _my _blood?" I questioned as my hands shook. "Whatever happened to good old lessons? You know, practicing for a few months before actually going into combat?"

The Knight greedily rubbed his hands together. "On your marks!"

I felt the Frog Captain whisper in my ear gently. "Lessons don't exist here."

"Get set!"

My head snapped sideways, a look of panic flooding over my face. "Well, they should!"

"_Charge_!"

My actions were not swift enough to cause me any protection, and before I knew it, another sword was hammering itself against mine. Letting out a startled cry, I stumbled backwards as the weight of Tarrant's sword clinked against my own. The hem of my blue dress went tumbling beneath my feet, tripping me up when I least needed it. When I faced him, he was shaking his head with disappointment.

"Come, come! Now you're not even trying!"

Puffing with frustration, I shoved his sword away with a grunt. Everyone stood up a few inches as Tarrant lost his position. I once more hammered my sword against his. He blocked it smoothly, and something about his swift actions took me by surprise.

"So there _are_ some things you do that actually have a purpose," I whispered, the edge of his blade inching closer towards my nose.

His lips formed a pout. "Whatever do you mean by that?"

Catching him in his bewilderment, I pushed the sword away once again. Using speed as my ally, I headed towards the staircase leading to the upper decks. I kept my ground halfway up, smiling at the Hatter down below. "Upper ground always has the benefit."

Tarrant paused and looked me over. I did not think about anyone else on that ship. There was no one I wanted to impress as much as him. For a few minutes, my previous life was entirely forgotten. I was Maggie Smith, practicing swordsman in a fantasy world. Everything was perfect.

Carefully turning my mockery over in his head, Tarrant swung his sword in neat circles at his hip. I watched him in awe, tranquilized by his precise movements. "Upper ground has the benefit in your world," he explained quietly. "However, you're in Underland now. The trick is to remember that there is no ground _at all_."

"I'm sorry?"

"Of course you are."

It was Tarrant's turn to catch me at my worst. He clambered up the stairs without a warning, his sword pointing without kindness towards my neck. I leant as far backwards as possible, pushing his blade away with the tip of my own. I struggled to climb backwards up the stairs, but somehow managed to make my way to the top without a sword finding my back.

When we both faced one another once more, I could feel the tension rising. The Ice Mountains were nearly behind us and there was nothing but open sea to offer me comfort. The rest of the crew watched us from below as we began to parry.

A swift cut to the left. Blocking from the right. Whose sword was whose? I could hardly keep track. A cry of surprise. A chuckle of amusement. A throat at my neck. My blade on the ground.

A throat at my neck.

My blade on the ground.

"How did you…?"

"When you think about the steps, it gets more difficult." Tarrant removed his sword swiftly, tossing it behind his head. It sliced through the air like a bird, waiting for the Knight's open arms at the bottom of the ship. "The one thing you want to do is not be here at all!" I was about to argue with that logic, but decided that it would be pointless. "Now, bring your sword!" He snapped his fingers at me. "We must toss it overboard."

"_What_?" I cried. Picking up my sword, I held it to my chest defensively.

"Your sword lost," he frowned. "It's common knowledge that his place is at the bottom of the sea."

"My sword didn't lose," I corrected with ruddy cheeks. "I'm the one who lost!"

"She is certainly not one of Underland traditions," the Knight laughed as he made his towards us. "Let her keep the sword until it is in her heart that she must get rid of it." The Knight glanced at Tarrant, who was still in a state of utter confusion. "She is not from our world, Mister Hightopp."

His eyes suddenly flickered up to me; surprised to hear the truth he had forgotten. "Of course she isn't," he mumbled. I watched him carefully. My lungs were struggling to capture air, but my eyes certainly captured him. "Would it be a mistake to imagine that she is?"

There was a long silence lingering between the two of us, but the Knight did not seem to notice our connection. The fire that suddenly lit itself in the pit of my stomach was of no clarity to him at all. He placed his gloved hand on my shoulder, the metal of his suit bringing a chill to my skin. "No, it is not a mistake. She fits in quite well. Quite well indeed. And with a bit more practice, she will be a lovely swordswoman."

A nervous smile spread across my face, but it was tight and uncomfortable. I could not hold it for long and it quickly fell, the familiar feeling of not belonging anywhere coming right back into my heart. My mind was distracted with thoughts of home, my brother and my childhood bed. All of them consumed my senses. So much so, that I did not even realize what was happening until I felt a pair of lips against my flesh.

When I looked down at my hand, it was being gently hoisted in the air by Tarrant's purple glove. His vividly pink lips pressed themselves against my skin, enduring longer than a man with no interest should.

"It was an honor dueling against you." He said as he straightened himself up. My hand continued to dangle in the air with no support. "Maggie." His head fell to the side, that gap-toothed grin flashing my way again.

I wanted to paint him in that moment. The twinkle in his eyes. The fact that his lips bore no makeup, because my hand was free from the mark of a kiss. The hair that stood up by itself, even with its weight and curls. He was a chef-d'oeuvre, and for some reason my heart was starting to believe it more than my brain.

"Thank you, Tarrant," I whispered, completely distracted by my sudden realization. "The honor was all mine."

He bowed lowly to me, flipping out the edges of his brown tailcoat as he did so. I watched in awe, shocked that a man could ever bow first in my presence. Blushing, I curtseyed to my level of perfection, and watched him head down towards the others.

There _had _been a realization as he kissed my hand.

It was a realization I could never have prepared myself for, but one that came without consciousness.

I was falling in love with Tarrant Hightopp.

~.~.~.~.~.~

**Review PLEASE! Thank you all for sticking with this story. ^^ If you have anything you'd like to see happen, post it in the comments! I'll take the most interesting one and toss it in, giving a shout-out along the way. ^^**


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